plural cartoons
1
: a preparatory design, drawing, or painting (as for a fresco)
2
a
: a drawing intended as satire, caricature, or humor
a political cartoon
a cartoon drawing
b
: a group of drawings in narrative sequence : comic strip
3
: a video (such as a television show or movie) that is made from a series of drawings, computer graphics, or photographs of inanimate objects (such as puppets) and that simulates movement by slight progressive changes in each frame : animated cartoon
4
: a ludicrously simplistic, unrealistic, or one-dimensional portrayal or version
The film's villain is an entertaining cartoon.
cartoon
verb
cartoonishly
adverb
Examples of cartoon in a Sentence
She enjoys reading the cartoons in the Sunday paper.
The kids are watching cartoons.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Indianapolis Colts pointed the finger at themselves in their Simpsons’ cartoon.
—
Teresa M. Walker, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
Other newcomers to the movie’s cartoon universe are Ike Barinholtz, Ego Nwodim, Josh Johnson, Matt Friend, Rhys Darby and Cristo Fernández.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 14 May 2026
This season, Valerie kind of went from a cartoon to a painting.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 14 May 2026
More recently, the Australian trio launched a website for a fake company called Takumi, whose mascot is a purple cartoon cat that wears a witch hat and flies on a broomstick.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
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Teresa M. Walker, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
Other newcomers to the movie’s cartoon universe are Ike Barinholtz, Ego Nwodim, Josh Johnson, Matt Friend, Rhys Darby and Cristo Fernández.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 14 May 2026
This season, Valerie kind of went from a cartoon to a painting.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 14 May 2026
More recently, the Australian trio launched a website for a fake company called Takumi, whose mascot is a purple cartoon cat that wears a witch hat and flies on a broomstick.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
Cite this Entry
“Cartoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cartoon. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cartoon
noun
car·toon
kär-ˈtün 
1
: a design, drawing, or painting made as a model for the finished work
2
a
: a drawing intended as a humorous comment on public affairs
b
3
Etymology
from Italian cartone "pasteboard, a sketch of a planned drawing or painting done on heavy paper," from carta "sheet of paper," from Latin charta "piece of papyrus" — related to card entry 3, carton
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