Make fun of means to joke about someone, tease them or mock them. It can be a friendly joke or a hurtful one; which of the two is usually clear from the context.
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make fun of + person/thing; make fun of + person + for + noun/-ing
- At school, some kids made fun of me for wearing glasses.
- Please don't make fun of my cooking; it's the first time I've made soup.
- Comedians often make fun of politicians, and most politicians just have to accept it.
What changed
First versionMy brother always makes fun on my accent.
RevisionMy brother always makes fun of my accent.
On or over may seem to fit here, but the person or thing being laughed at is introduced only with of: makes fun of my accent. To give the reason for the joke, add for: They made fun of me for my accent.
Laugh at is close in meaning, but it can also simply mean to laugh at a joke: We laughed at his story. Make fun of is always about mocking someone or something connected with them: their looks, habits or things. For very friendly teasing, people often say tease: My sister teases me about my handwriting.
Your turn
My friends ___ my old phone, but I'm keeping it until it stops working.
Show the answer
make fun of — You need fun: make fun of means to joke about someone. Funny is an adjective that describes a person or thing, as in a funny video; it does not combine with make in this meaning.
Think about how your friends or flatmates make fun of you. Write what exactly they joke about and how you react.
My flatmates make fun of me for labelling everything in the fridge, but I just laugh with them.
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