caricature 1 of 2

noun

ˈker-i-kə-ˌchu̇r How to pronounce caricature (audio)
Definition of caricaturenext
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
as in exaggeration
the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts the mayor has presented only a caricature of his opponent's views

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

caricature

2 of 2

verb

as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of caricatured the supervisor's distinctive walk

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Example 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
Fola comes across as the most sympathetic character, and the story, though not a first-person narrative, feels like it’s told from their perspective — which perhaps explains a slight tendency toward caricatures in the portrayals of other characters, especially Healy and Sandra. —Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025 The caskets were displayed in front of a large banner that showed a caricature replicating antisemitic tropes of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with vampiric teeth and blood running down his face. —Astha Rajvanshi, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
Critics have caricatured the Adams plan as a giveaway to developers that will let light and sky-stealing high-rises lord over lower-density housing, rendering neighborhoods unrecognizable. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Dec. 2024 Elegy thus belongs to an old and ignoble genre, one which caricatures the hillbilly for an audience’s titillation. —Sarah Jones, Vulture, 15 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for caricature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caricature
  1. parody
  2. spoof
  3. exaggeration
  4. mock
  5. joke
  6. satire
  7. coloring
  8. imitate
Noun
  • During the March 8 episode of the late-night comedy sketch series, which saw Lady Gaga pull double duty as the host and the musical guest, Myers, 61, reprised his parody of the Tesla CEO during the show's Cold Open, after doing the same last weekend.
    — Nicholas Rice, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Next up, a Midnight Matinee, one of the digital shorts written by Dan Bulla, seemingly a Stuart Little-style parody where Gaga once again sings, this time at the piano.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of parody
Noun
  • The actor, who originally starred on SNL from 1989 to 1995, appeared as the tech billionaire — and head of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — in a spoof of Trump’s heated Feb. 28 White House exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
    — Bailey Richards, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Olive Sturgess, who appeared on about two dozen TV Westerns and got to act alongside Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and Jack Nicholson in the Roger Corman 1963 cult horror spoof The Raven, died Feb. 19, her family announced.
    — Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of spoof
Noun
  • The comedic exaggeration is clear, but the bit is also a gesture to something deeper: Americans are skeptical about their government’s national security claims against China and open to seeing the country and its people through a different light.
    — Mark Tseng-Putterman / Made by History, TIME, 10 Mar. 2025
  • This scale ranks objects from 0, meaning no impact, to 10, which is (ok, this is a slight exaggeration) nearly as bad as the destruction of Alderaan in Star Wars.
    — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of exaggeration
Verb
  • Musk has mocked Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, repeatedly since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022.
    — Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The Vice President’s face has been subject to mock meme edits for several months, as political commentators used editing tools to exaggerate his features and create child-like caricatures.
    — Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of mock
Noun
  • Conan O'Brien Named Host Of The 2025 Oscars By Megan Cartwright Deputy Entertainment Editor Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 0 Conan O'Brien revealed on his podcast that part of his Oscars promo joke was cut by the Academy.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Kimmel’s feud with Damon, meanwhile, is an ongoing joke that began when Jimmy Kimmel Live was in its early years.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of joke
Noun
  • The superhero movie satire from creator/executive producer Jon Brown had Oscar winner Sam Mendes and Emmy-winning frequent HBO collaborator Armando Iannucci as executive producers.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025
  • For Bong, this approach is vital for his films, as that human element grounds movies that effortlessly shift among satire, pathos, action, and genre.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of satire
Noun
  • The moon’s red coloring begins to fade and the dark part shrinks down until the moon’s appearance returns to its typical shape, according to NASA.
    — Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Likely, their universal dull, dark coloring helped these early mammals to better camouflage at night and stay warm.
    — Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of coloring
Verb
  • Munn shared that the motion is a fidget of Mulaney's that Malcolm has learned to imitate.
    — Hannah Sacks, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Younger narwhals also tended to imitate the behavior of older ones, indicating that social learning could influence how narwhals use their tusks, according to the study.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of imitate

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Cite this Entry

“Caricature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caricature. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on caricature

Nglish: Translation of caricature for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about caricature

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