satire

noun

ˈsa-ˌtī(-ə)r How to pronounce satire (audio)
Definition of satirenext
as in parody
a creative work that uses sharp humor to point up the foolishness of a person, institution, or human nature in general a satire about the music industry in which a handsome but untalented youth is turned into a pop star

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun satire differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of satire are humor, irony, repartee, sarcasm, and wit. While all these words mean "a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement," satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.

a satire on the Congress

Where would humor be a reasonable alternative to satire?

While in some cases nearly identical to satire, humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness.

a sense of humor

When is irony a more appropriate choice than satire?

Although the words irony and satire have much in common, irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed.

the irony of the title

When would repartee be a good substitute for satire?

The synonyms repartee and satire are sometimes interchangeable, but repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily.

a dinner guest noted for repartee

When can sarcasm be used instead of satire?

The words sarcasm and satire can be used in similar contexts, but sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

given to heartless sarcasm

When could wit be used to replace satire?

The meanings of wit and satire largely overlap; however, wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

a playful wit

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 satire This network, which explicitly labels its content as satire, posted the Hope Walz meme on August 10, 2024, clearly marked as satire​. Unfortunately, many users missed or ignored the satirical disclaimer. — Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 Others, like Gary Shteyngart’s Our Country Friends, try and fail to make light of it; his satire of liberal elites sheltering in the Hudson Valley came too soon and was too burdened by its characters’ guilt at the relative ease of their experience. — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2025 Whatever the intention of its creators—and most reviews characterized the show at least partially as a workplace satire—what played out on our screens was less a critique of the office than a fetishization. — Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025 Laced with 2000s emo and pop-punk hits, Joseph Kahn (Bodied) brings frenetic energy to this sci-fi/horror satire. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for satire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for satire
  1. parody
  2. spoof
  3. comedy
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
  • Smashing a watermelon with a giant mallet to the messy delight of audiences, Leo Gallagher became one of the biggest comedy acts of the 1980s and shot to superstardom.
    — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Again, there’s no hard and fast definition for what constitutes a dumb comedy.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of comedy

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Cite this Entry

“Satire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/satire. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on satire

Nglish: Translation of satire for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about satire

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