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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of travesty
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
23 Apr. 2026
The most surprising couple to reconcile is the travesty formerly known as Larl.
—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
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
Hardly a travesty, but not what a 5-star guest might be accustomed to.
—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
23 Apr. 2026
The most surprising couple to reconcile is the travesty formerly known as Larl.
—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
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
-
Scary Movie paved the way for more big-screen parodies, including Date Movie (2006), Epic Movie (2007), and Meet the Spartans (2008).
-
Their outmoded style, with its seriousness and corniness, its big acting choices and low budgets, is basically impossible to recreate without falling into parody.
Noun
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The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
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But given the current box office sensations of Obsession and Backrooms, Tiddes certainly wishes the timing had allowed for spoofs of those horror movies.
Verb
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In the weeks leading up to the June 26 release of the film, men mocked 26-year-old Alcock’s appearance across social media.
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Each sketch was packed with mocking details, such as long red ties, Big Macs and lots and lots of gold, to drive home her point.
Noun
-
As the escape-room activity kicks off — the guests have 30 minutes to find Aesha’s crew — the boys find plenty of opportunity to make insinuating jokes about tying up the girls, some (Coop) more wholesome than others (Luke).
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And as a distant relative jokes, many can be found on mortgages, loans and other debts.
Verb
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Here was a government that had explicitly borrowed from Beijing’s developmental playbook and sincerely attempted to imitate it, but failed.
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These are glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists that imitate a natural hormone in the gut.
Noun
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Olikara, who grew up around Wisconsin’s farmland, bristles at how routinely rural America is flattened into caricature.
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Honestly, Suzie has been a caricature of a demanding boss straight from some sort of rom-com situation, but Paula finally dresses her down here and the scene is delightful.
Verb
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The divergence is over whether the worker shortage is improving slowly or still getting worse, and what the Supreme Court should do about it.
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The band is forced into doing take after take in his quest to fully convey his own emotions.
Noun
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Both the duvet cover and shams have a sateen finish, and an ultra-soft, lived-in feel.
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Kristjánsson pointed out that the whole thing was kind of a sham.
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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