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

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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

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
Entertainment included two balloon artists from Krys Kreations, two strolling caricature artists from Draw the Crowd and Polynesian and Hawaiian music performed by the Stanley Family Trio from Center for World Music. Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025 At a time when transgender people are under attack on many fronts, both the lack of representation and offensive caricatures of trans people cause real harm. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 11 June 2025
Verb
Morning and afternoon activities are offered every day, and musicians, caricatures artists and pet therapists visit to keep residents entertained. Joshua Zatulskis, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2025 Yet abroad, Germans are still caricatured as Nazis, and the remembrance culture plays a part by overdoing it. Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for caricature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caricature
Noun
  • Bud Light plans to run a parody of the series, which gives fans up-close looks at the seasons of top NFL quarterbacks, via social media.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 July 2025
  • His mask is a stitched thing — lipless, white, eerily smooth yet rugged — a grim parody of life.
    Daphne Woolsoncroft, People.com, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • One of Ferrell’s biggest and best movies was this hilarious racing spoof, which followed the rise and fall and rise of a smug champion racer, his complicated friendship with best pal and fellow racer John C. Reilly, and his rivalry with an effete, snotty Frenchman played by Sacha Baron Cohen.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 June 2025
  • Just as impressive is Brooks stepping back into the shoes of Yogurt (his merchandising Yoda spoof), just a year away from his hundredth birthday.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • The hinge-less part may have been an exaggeration, for someone who’s likely as much of a control freak as Halsey.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 9 July 2025
  • Pew’s findings confirm one of Trump’s most remarkable accomplishments — one so unlikely that professional Latinos long dismissed his election gains as exaggerations.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • And of course, that following Sunday, Oliver did indeed mock his corporate bosses for the move.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 8 July 2025
  • Many wanted Tiger to comment, but others chose to mock Williams.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • And beyond the viral jokes littering Palmer’s comments are thousands of seemingly serious comments calling her video just an example of how leaning into feminine roles can be self care.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2025
  • The jokes about alligators attacking immigrants while in detention have been casually tossed around by President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis and conservative and far-right influencers.
    Raisa Habersham, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Earlier, during his days with Monty Python, Gilliam co-wrote biblical black comedy The Life of Brian, whose themes of religious satire drew accusations of blasphemy and protests.
    Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 7 July 2025
  • The logline portends a comedy, possibly a parody, even a satire.
    Robert Lloyd, Twin Cities, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Similar studies also led the European Union to restrict food coloring.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 12 July 2025
  • With their milkweed diet being a core tenet to how monarchs protect themselves from predators, other butterfly species have evolved to resemble monarchs’ coloring as a way to gain protection.
    Muqsit Ashraf, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • And beyond device checks, smart verification systems can also monitor behavioral signals—like typing speed, location, or login habits—to spot anomalies that a cloned voice can’t imitate.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 10 July 2025
  • His celebration imitated him sitting down playing a video game – a tribute to his former Portugal teammate Diogo Jota who died in a car crash last week.
    Ben Morse, CNN Money, 10 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Caricature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caricature. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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