as in parody
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
it is interesting to note that the first novel ever written in English was followed by a burlesque of it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
burlesquing the teacher's nervous tic isn't very nice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burlesque
Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024
Woods plays Rose’s daughter Louise, the young woman who would go on to become the real-life burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee.
—Gordon Cox, Variety, 24 Dec. 2024
Armond White, National Review, 26 May 2023
The seeming callousness with which the dancers burlesque a fourteen-year-old’s death—the breezy way that the dance turns a killing into a sight gag—induces a shiver.
—Jody Rosen, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for burlesque
Noun
During a stop on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in June, Roan said horror movies, burlesque and theater also inspire her and her stylist Genesis Webb.
—Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024
Woods plays Rose’s daughter Louise, the young woman who would go on to become the real-life burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee.
—Gordon Cox, Variety, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
That song doesn’t belong in a film that promotes the era’s social fragmentation and repeats fatuous antagonisms — burlesqued by Melissa McCarthy playing the sea world’s villainous white-witch octopus Ursula.
—Armond White, National Review, 26 May 2023
The seeming callousness with which the dancers burlesque a fourteen-year-old’s death—the breezy way that the dance turns a killing into a sight gag—induces a shiver.
—Jody Rosen, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for burlesque
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burlesque
Noun
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Bowen Yang is opening up after Aimee Lou Wood criticized Saturday Night Live's parody of her.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Jordan’s dual roles emulate the Rodriquez siblings who were played by George Clooney and Tarantino himself, but with no sense of parody.—
Armond White,
National Review,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Does the fact that these Black leaders are among the rich that dandies would have mocked savor the inheritance of the style tradition or sully it?—
Akilah Sailers,
Essence,
28 Apr. 2025
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In the first round, the team stayed put at No. 14 and still landed a player that was widely mocked to the team in tight end Tyler Warren.—
Mark Weinstein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The suspects are using a spoof number and identifying themselves as Officers from the Peoria Police Department.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
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Former presidential candidates in election years sought to be pranksters (Hillary Clinton, in a somewhat strained spoof, challenged then-Sen. Barack Obama to a bowling night).—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Cubs beat the Dodgers 16-0 on Saturday, featuring an entertaining moment in which position-player-pitching Miguel Rojas imitated the deliveries of a few Dodgers pitchers.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Moreover, these models can imitate individuals' or industries' writing styles and wording.—
Kevin Korte,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Even with Ted Lasso on hiatus, Apple TV+ continues to be a presence in this category; no doubt, voters loved seeing Hollywood execs (and egomaniacal stars) get skewered on the streamer's movie-industry satire, The Studio.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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Like a good martini, the novel blends the zesty gin of satire with vermouthy fruitiness and lemon twists of sharp observation.—
Rob Kyff,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burlesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burlesque. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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