1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
the recall of a duly elected official for a frivolous reason is not democracy in action but a farce
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2
as in comedy
humorous entertainment
the rubber-faced, loose-jointed comedian is a master of knockabout farce
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of farce
Australian playwright Tony McNamara has turned his side hustle as a screenwriter into a blessing for Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things, The Favourite), and viewers of The Great, his bawdy historical farce for Hulu, can attest to his love of layered, lacerating insults.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
But Democrats continue to escalate the matter, and the whole thing has become a farce for Republicans, Democrats and the state.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
The movie is less a screwball comedy than a screwball contraption—a madcap farce that the screenwriters have reduced to a math problem.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Pretending that traditional law enforcement cooperation can solve this problem is a dangerous farce that will only see Mexico continue to flounder as a failing state.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for farce
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
But Democrats continue to escalate the matter, and the whole thing has become a farce for Republicans, Democrats and the state.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
The movie is less a screwball comedy than a screwball contraption—a madcap farce that the screenwriters have reduced to a math problem.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Pretending that traditional law enforcement cooperation can solve this problem is a dangerous farce that will only see Mexico continue to flounder as a failing state.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for farce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for farce
Noun
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The only people who write him letters are serial killers who adore him, especially serial killers who were portrayed on the Netflix series Mindhunter (which Monster, for some reason, takes a swipe at with a frankly exhausting, metatextual parody).—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 Oct. 2025
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The screenwriter, Nora Garrett, has achieved an amusingly florid Hollywood simulacrum—one that tilts into knowing parody—of an intensely self-regarding world.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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And the first person viewers saw on-screen this week was Patterson’s fellow newcomer Jeremy Culhane—a fresh face to those who have never encountered social-media clips of his impish appearances on the niche comedy streamer Dropout.—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2025
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Brennan is known for his signature style of colorful windbreakers and comedy, focusing on growing up in the Midwest in a family of eight children with a doctor for a father, despite having no health insurance himself.—
Jillian Sederholm,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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According to The New York Times, Chappelle — who has been under fired for his transphobic jokes in the past — used his comedy set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival to speak about the lack of freedom of speech in the United States, especially in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
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People taking offense at jokes simply didn’t land as a news story anymore.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While not everyone took to Cult’s broad political satire, it’s still considered a fine mid-era installment.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
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While framed as satire, the content references child exploitation, raising questions about the adequacy of Sora 2’s safeguards.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Performers milled on the street with bobbing paper mache heads of Uncle Sam and other caricatures.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
6 Oct. 2025
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Contemporary leaders and still-in-progress totalitarian regimes bump up against Ralph Steadman’s caricature sketches for an edition of Animal Farm, Orwell’s second most famous book, and clips from three different screen adaptations of 1984, his most famous work.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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By pivoting back to pop anthems with humor, empathy, a little fury and a lot of wisdom, Swift ensures that ascent will continue.—
Jason Lipshutz,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
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For Beckham, the choice carried both humor and fashion weight.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The complete set comes with a cozy bedspread and two matching pillow shams to match.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Oct. 2025
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This sheet set also comes with shams, all made from cotton percale for a cool, crisp sleep year-round.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Farce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/farce. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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