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Glite Dictionary
to make a monkey out of

to make a monkey out of

3 8.4
Make someone look silly in front of other people by tricking or embarrassing them
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : poner en ridículo
  • Don't let anyone make a monkey out of you; stand up for yourself when they try to humiliate you.

Examples

Synonyms

to fool
vsto make a monkey out of
704 2.1

To trick someone into believing something that is not true

focuses on making someone appear foolish often through tricking or embarrassing
to make fun of
vsto make a monkey out of
  • Offensive
307 2.3

Laugh at someone or say things that make them feel embarrassed

involves causing a foolish appearance but often by teasing rather than tricking
to put on
vsto make a monkey out of
  • Informal
19 7.2

To trick someone, often as a joke

aims to cause a foolish appearance but can be more mean than a joke
to play tricks
vsto make a monkey out of
15 3.0

To make someone believe something that is not true as a joke

shares tricking element but usually lacks deliberate public humiliation
to play (someone) for a fool
vsto make a monkey out of
  • Offensive
7 7.4

Treat someone as stupid to trick or cheat them

is about causing a foolish appearance but not always for personal gain
to play a trick on
vsto make a monkey out of
6 2.8

To fool someone as a joke

involves causing a foolish appearance but often focuses on the prank itself
to beclown
vsto make a monkey out of
  • Literature
9.9

To make someone look foolish by doing or saying silly things

is about causing foolish appearance often by tricking or embarrassing them
to befool
vsto make a monkey out of
9.9

To trick someone so they look silly

focuses on causing a foolish appearance often through tricking or embarrassment
to make game of
vsto make a monkey out of
  • Offensive
8.0

Laugh at someone or treat something serious as a joke

expresses making someone seem foolish but stresses mockery rather than tricking

Antonyms

to empower
157 4.2

Give someone the power and confidence to do something

How Humiliated

to humiliate
  • Offensive
414 6.1
to make a monkey out of
  • Offensive
3 8.4
to embarrass
642 2.1
to tease
245 1.9

Surface Forms

make a monkey out of infinitive
made a monkey out of past
made a monkey out of past participle
making a monkey out of present participle
makes a monkey out of third person singular

Morphology

make + a + monkey + out + of

The phrase combines 'make' (to cause) with 'monkey' (an animal often used metaphorically for silliness) within the familiar 'make ... out of' construction, so a learner who knows the words can plausibly infer 'cause someone to seem foolish'. However, the metaphorical use of 'monkey' as an insult and the idiomatic verb–particle pattern are not completely predictable for all learners without exposure, so the transparency is partial.

Etymology

The idiom make a monkey out of comes from the old idea of a monkey as a silly animal that copies people, so turning someone into a monkey meant making them look foolish. So, to 'make a monkey out of' someone today means to trick or embarrass them and make them seem 'foolish'.