1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
rigged from the start, his trial was a travesty of justice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spoof
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
the big-screen version of the classic sitcom is actually a good-natured travesty of the TV series
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
this comedy sketch mindlessly travesties the hard work of relief workers around the world
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Recent Examples of travesty
Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
That’s a travesty, of course, because Hepburn is the delightful, spirited, even steely center of this most wonderful of musicals, a rousing crowd-pleaser that also happens to have a lot to say about class and station and love … and isn’t afraid to leave us with an uncertain ending.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
The New Republic, 22 June 2023
Readers may be tempted to side at one moment with the defenders of Jewish caution and Jewish sentiment, however their instincts are travestied, and soon afterward with Zuckerman’s principled view of the autonomy of art.
—Cynthia Ozick, WSJ, 25 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for travesty
Noun
Then there’s the travesty of the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
—Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
That’s a travesty, of course, because Hepburn is the delightful, spirited, even steely center of this most wonderful of musicals, a rousing crowd-pleaser that also happens to have a lot to say about class and station and love … and isn’t afraid to leave us with an uncertain ending.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
In 1933, the Marx Brothers mocked dictatorship with Duck Soup; three decades later, Kubrick and writer Terry Southern travestied the Bomb.
—The New Republic, 22 June 2023
Readers may be tempted to side at one moment with the defenders of Jewish caution and Jewish sentiment, however their instincts are travestied, and soon afterward with Zuckerman’s principled view of the autonomy of art.
—Cynthia Ozick, WSJ, 25 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for travesty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for travesty
Noun
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In actuality, everything — unbeknownst to him — was ridiculously staged in a pitch-perfect reality TV parody, as comedy improv actors like David Hornsby and pre-Saturday Night Live Kristen Wiig would put Gould smack dab in the middle of absurd situation after absurd situation.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
20 Mar. 2025
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For cases relating to works of fiction, parody and satire, courts recognize that the examination must focus on what the publisher intended to convey, the company says.—
Winston Cho,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The scripted comedy spoof featuring Bowen Yang, Jane Lynch, Shannon Woodward, Cynthia Nixon, Ian McKellen grabbed four nominations, including a mention for podcast of the year.—
William Earl,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2025
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Parker Posey is reminiscing on 25 years since her role in the 2000 film Best in Show, an off-the-wall spoof on dog shows by filmmaker Christopher Guest.—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The plans, mocked up by Populous, include a sky bar overlooking the pitch, a stadium roof-walk experience, a 3,000-capacity fan zone, a 400-bed hotel (part of the Radisson group), a new club shop and museum.—
Tom Burrows,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
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Social media trends come and go, but one craze that appears to have outstayed its welcome is the desire to mock millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996).—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The joke being: Champagnes are sparkling wines that come only from the Champagne region of France.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2025
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The joke sparked a furious backlash within Shinde’s Hindu supremacist Shiv Sena political party.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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It’s been imitated to death by lesser films in the years that followed, but this first appearance still has a disarming spark.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
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So Far View List Life, however, will not be imitating art for Bassett.—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Aduba holds everything together with a deft turn, refusing to let Cordelia Cupp’s on-paper oddities ever become a caricature.—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Mar. 2025
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Questions about whether making a movie in which little people are treated like retrograde caricatures was a cool thing to do in this day and age.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The town moves at a slower pace, and invites you to do the same—but there’s no shortage of things to do.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
23 Mar. 2025
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This was the best of both creative stimulating worlds, essentially doing a play on screen.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The cotton quilt is lightweight enough for year-round use and includes two matching shams to complete the look.—
Megan Schaltegger,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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The decision to annul November’s election had little precedent and handed a propaganda victory to Moscow, which has long dismissed Western democracy as a sham in which elites fix the results to suppress unorthodox views and guarantee an outcome favorable to the liberal establishment.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN,
10 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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