caricature 1 of 2

1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something that TV network's reporting is a mere caricature of real journalism

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in spoof
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect the artist creates caricatures of famous paintings by replacing humans with cats

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

caricature

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun caricature differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of caricature are burlesque, parody, and travesty. While all these words mean "a comic or grotesque imitation," caricature implies ludicrous exaggeration of the characteristic features of a subject.

caricatures of politicians in cartoons

When might burlesque be a better fit than caricature?

The meanings of burlesque and caricature largely overlap; however, burlesque implies mockery especially through giving a serious or lofty subject a frivolous treatment.

a nightclub burlesque of a trial in court

In what contexts can parody take the place of caricature?

The synonyms parody and caricature are sometimes interchangeable, but parody applies especially to treatment of a trivial or ludicrous subject in the exactly imitated style of a well-known author or work.

a witty parody of a popular novel

When is travesty a more appropriate choice than caricature?

The words travesty and caricature are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, travesty implies that the subject remains unchanged but that the style is extravagant or absurd.

this production is a travesty of the opera

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of caricature
Noun
Supporting characters are barely more than caricatures, leaving viewers with unsettling queries instead of finite answers. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025 What Happened in the Attack and Aftermath Two brothers claiming allegiance to Al-Qaeda attacked the Charlie Hebdo offices in retaliation for the magazine's caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
The videos can showcase her humanity, expertise, worldviews, and blunt Republican efforts to caricature her. Allison Lange / Made By History, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024 The Big Business Republicans of yore are sometimes caricatured for seeking corporate tax cuts above all else. Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 18 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for caricature 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caricature
Noun
  • By combining the monikers of two government agencies, the FBI: CIA title may inspire some sendups in the vein of Adult Swim’s crime procedural parody NTSF:SD:SUV::.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Could one match the popularity of the parody of the Brooks & Dunn song?
    Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • For Sony Repertory — studio executive Jeff Blake, who had hired him at Paramount, brought him there — Schlesinger was a vp who oversaw a 70mm restoration of Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and the release of the B-movie spoof The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra (1981).
    Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Neumayer detected the spoof by checking the headers and IDing the tool used.
    Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • But the idea that there will be some massive fire sale ahead of March 7 also would be an exaggeration, if for no other reason than the fact the team doesn’t have that many notable pending UFAs.
    Pierre LeBrun, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Public faith in public health officials has plummeted because of exaggerations and outright falsehoods.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Shelton specifically referenced the incident where Tony Jones of Channel 9 mocked Novak Djokovic and his fans on air, causing Djokovic to skip a post-match interview with Jim Courier.
    Adam Zagoria, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
  • They were also nominated for worst screen combo, another blow for the movie that Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser ruthlessly mocked in her monologue earlier this month.
    Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • These shows are led by a cast of improv comedians, leading into the various personalities’ wit and humor over scripted jokes.
    Sara Belcher, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025
  • But the joke’s on me after his sweet touch and finish (above) at Manchester United in the Europa League last night.
    Phil Hay, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Not brilliant or ambitious in its satire, but solid.
    Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 19 Jan. 2025
  • In between his many obligations, Wood Jr. caught up with TIME to discuss his time in the food service industry, the impact of President Trump’s victory on satire, and whether the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was a tougher room than the Apollo Theater.
    Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Divide in batches, and tint each with a different color of pastel food coloring, if desired.
    Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2025
  • The new species was identified by its scale arrangement, coloring, body size and other subtle physical features, the study said.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But in non-biotech emerging industries, many billion-dollar entrepreneurs imitated the product but improved on the strategy.
    Dileep Rao, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
  • This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia visits remains of his home lost in L.A. fire: 'Life imitating art' Garner indicated that her residence is still standing but that countless friends have lost their houses over the past week.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 11 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near caricature

Cite this Entry

“Caricature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caricature. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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