as in parodies
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
Relevance
as in mocks
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burlesques
Noun
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How did Jane Lynch wind up in the YouTube ad parodies?—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026 -
Countless memes and parodies have circulated online.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Generally speaking, Normand playfully mocks all sorts of different groups rather equally.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Its leader, the president, abuses power, hurts the innocent, and mocks the dead before their families have even begun to grieve.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Retro Rewind players run a Blockbuster Video-like movie-rental store set in the early 1990s, complete with spoofs of real blockbusters of the era.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Way better than dusty game show and dinner party spoofs.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Aristotle said that art imitates nature (ars imitatur naturam), and for centuries, many artists sought to imitate their subjects as realistically as possible.—
Andrey Mir,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
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Whether or not life imitates art remains to be seen.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The role demands charisma, vocal chops, and sharp comedic timing, all deployed within one of the most cynical satires in the musical theater canon.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
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More than a hundred years before the French Revolution, his riotous, scathing satires dared to speak truth to some of the most absolute power in the world.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
17 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Burlesques.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burlesques. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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