1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
rigged from the start, his trial was a travesty of justice
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
Bill Zito got passed over yet again for NHL general manager of the year -- a travesty!
—Greg Cote
june 29, Miami Herald, 29 June 2025
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
But the bloated funding bill the GOP is trying to ram down the throats of unsuspecting Americans is a travesty beyond all comprehension.
—Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
Bill Zito got passed over yet again for NHL general manager of the year -- a travesty!
—Greg Cote
june 29, Miami Herald, 29 June 2025
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
-
In her video, a parody of the original campaign, the Grammy-winner delivered Sweeney’s lines with an exaggerated accent, mispronouncing the color blue.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
30 July 2025
-
Lehrer performed his parodies at coffeehouses and student gatherings throughout the Cambridge, Massachusetts, area.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
The Tonight Show host appeared in a Late Show spoof — alongside Seth Meyers, Anderson Cooper, John Oliver, Jon Stewart, and more — poking fun at the circumstances surrounding the franchise’s sudden ending and the viral Coldplay kiss cam couple on Monday.—
Emlyn Travis Published,
EW.com,
22 July 2025
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Mulligan got her chance to play the part more than a decade later, when she was cast as Sophie in a 2019 spoof of Mamma Mia!—
Nicole Briese,
People.com,
20 July 2025
Verb
-
When the Tea app breach occurred, social media users relished in mocking and threatening the safety of the women whose personal information had been leaked.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Vice President Vance mocked critics of an American Eagle jeans ad featuring Sydney Sweeney in an interview published Friday, blaming Democrats for public discourse arguing the commercial endorses eugenics.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Buddusky tries to fill the room with noise, jokes, bluster.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 July 2025
-
Chinese officials in the eastern province of Zhejiang have put stand-up comics on notice to avoid jokes that could fuel resentment between the sexes.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
Perhaps the Lake Bluff streakers heard of those at CLC and wanted to imitate them.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
23 July 2025
-
The park’s hub-and-spoke design has been copied by parks around the world, but the caliber of Disneyland’s craftsmanship wasn’t easily imitated.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
Outside, a McDonald’s food truck handed out signature bites, while inside, caricature artists sketched guests and bartenders poured bespoke cocktails.—
Keyaira Boone,
Essence,
30 July 2025
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Some tribal leaders said the use of Native American mascots is perceived as the non-tribal dominant society parading around its caricature of Indigenous people for entertainment, a people whose lands were taken by that dominant society.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
One unanswered question is whether the U.S. birth rate will continue to decline sharply, as Chile's has done.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
3 Aug. 2025
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After all, the distinction between NIL and impermissible pay-for-play was supposed to hinge on what the athletes were doing to earn the money.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The California high-speed rail project is a sham and should have been stopped many years ago.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
20 July 2025
-
Some ought to know better: The false and horrific accusation before the highly politicized International Criminal Court is a total sham.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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