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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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
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3
as in exaggeration
the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts
the mayor has presented only a caricature of his opponent's views
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
caricatured the supervisor's distinctive walk
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of caricature
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
The press was happy to accept her as a caricature, with her blond wig and false lashes, her heels, her diamonds.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Andrew P. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2025
In the ranks of Sam Rayburn and Lyndon Johnson
Pelosi is a fierce partisan and sometimes a brittle one, open to caricature by her foes.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caricature
Noun
When Landowner started in 2015 as a solo endeavor, Shaw would open a new file, choose a drum machine pattern, and write a caricature of a hardcore song sans distortion.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
The press was happy to accept her as a caricature, with her blond wig and false lashes, her heels, her diamonds.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
Israel’s fiercest advocates in the United States may caricature the end of exceptional treatment as U.S. abandonment of Israel and a reward for the perpetrators of October 7.
—Andrew P. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2025
In the ranks of Sam Rayburn and Lyndon Johnson
Pelosi is a fierce partisan and sometimes a brittle one, open to caricature by her foes.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caricature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caricature
Noun
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American Vandal is a true-crime parody that sees two teenagers investigate juvenile offenses like graffiti with all the seriousness of Making a Murderer.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Apr. 2026
-
From 2010 to 2015, Freeman starred in the parody reality show Pretty the Series as Ribina Champagne.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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In the spoof, the host is dressed as Aunt Gladys from Weapons — which which won best supporting actress for Amy Madigan’s portrayal of the character — complete with the bright orange hair and white face paint.—
Anna Chan,
Billboard,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This, and jokes like it, transcend absurd exaggeration to achieve something much closer to magical realism.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
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Behind the private gates of Clos du Lac, where vineyards edge the winding roads, one hilltop estate overlooking Folsom Lake pulls off the Mediterranean spirit so seamlessly that comparisons to the Italian countryside don’t feel like exaggeration.—
David Caraccio
March 28,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In vivid, dramatic language more befitting of a pulp novel accompanied by fanciful illustrations, the story said that reports of monsters first started surfacing in Canada, only to be met with mocking dismissal in Chicago.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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This festival featured carnivals that included music, costumes, and mocking church rituals.—
Paula Soria,
AZCentral.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No this is not a joke…Retro Weather Channel is officially back!—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The response to the outcry led to even more jokes online.—
Bennett Conlin,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Gingrich’s March 15, 2026, post linked to an article that labeled itself as satire.—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The film, which debuted on Netflix April 1, deploys a deliberately eccentric tone, mixing slapstick, satire and spy-thriller tropes with Das’ irreverent comedic sensibility.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Standing just under two feet tall, African penguins are easy to recognize by their classic black-and-white coloring.—
Kendall Malinchock,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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The apartments are almost exactly uniform in their square footage, in their coloring, and in their overall demeanor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The installation is a winking reference to the Turing test, the 1950 thought experiment about whether a machine can credibly imitate a person.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Each of the wounded imitated the pain and symptoms of an injury that could happen on the battlefield.—
Chelsea Torres,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Caricature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caricature. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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