burlesque 1 of 2

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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burlesque

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun burlesque differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of burlesque are caricature, parody, and travesty. While all these words mean "a comic or grotesque imitation," burlesque implies mockery especially through giving a serious or lofty subject a frivolous treatment.

a nightclub burlesque of a trial in court

In what contexts can caricature take the place of burlesque?

The words caricature and burlesque are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, caricature implies ludicrous exaggeration of the characteristic features of a subject.

caricatures of politicians in cartoons

When might parody be a better fit than burlesque?

The synonyms parody and burlesque are sometimes interchangeable, but parody applies especially to treatment of a trivial or ludicrous subject in the exactly imitated style of a well-known author or work.

a witty parody of a popular novel

When is it sensible to use travesty instead of burlesque?

The meanings of travesty and burlesque largely overlap; however, travesty implies that the subject remains unchanged but that the style is extravagant or absurd.

this production is a travesty of the opera

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of burlesque
Noun
Whether looking for a morning caffeine fix, a low-key lunch spot, or a night of burlesque and bold cocktails, Bar One Uptown delivers it all — with a local twist. Bar One Lounge , Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2025 Mendoza didn’t begin performing until 2016, although she had been involved in the backstage production side of burlesque for some time before then. J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
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
  • The unserious image conveys how much the drama has become a parody of itself.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
  • When Israel launched its full-scale war against Iran on June 13, the jingoistic Beach Boys parody once again began to make the rounds.
    Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • In September 2024, she was mocked online after releasing a single.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • Tonally, the show is all over the place, laying on the moody theatrics one moment, mocking Dave’s writerly pretenses the next.
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • In The Naked Gun, a sequel-reboot to the crime spoofs of the 1980s and ’90s starring Leslie Nielsen, Anderson plays femme fatale Beth.
    Jack Smart, People.com, 18 June 2025
  • Other people and publications dug the Severance spoof — as of this writing, the Ravens’ reveal video had 9,000 likes on X and nearly 3,000 on YouTube (with 70,000 views).
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • But as these systems gained the ability to imitate reasoning, planning, and decision-making among options, emergent behaviors began raising red flags.
    Hamilton Mann, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Some fireworks transcend the standard pops and booms to imitate a non-fiery object.
    Ethan Wolin, Sacbee.com, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • Doing so, Cohn and Duprat return to their hallmark mode of psychological satire, filtered through a customary comedy-drama prism.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 19 June 2025
  • The Office isn’t vicious workplace satire, but this sure is.
    Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Burlesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burlesque. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

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