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
At least Freeman walloped a 451-foot cartoon sledgehammer shot in the finale:
With Thursday’s win, MLB’s reigning champion got back above .500 in road games.
—
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
True to the cartoon medium, the characters are outsize and their adventures over the top.
—Judy Berman, Time, 22 Aug. 2025
The most whimsical of the events, the Special Shape Rodeo, sends balloons that resemble animals, cartoon characters, and other wacky designs above Balloon Fiesta Park.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 Aug. 2025
The audio in many of their videos is essentially cartoon sound effects, and much of what happens in them emphasizes their youth, from wearing Pokémon slippers and jumping on couches to feeding each other lollipops and playing water-bottle pranks.
—Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
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Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
True to the cartoon medium, the characters are outsize and their adventures over the top.
—Judy Berman, Time, 22 Aug. 2025
The most whimsical of the events, the Special Shape Rodeo, sends balloons that resemble animals, cartoon characters, and other wacky designs above Balloon Fiesta Park.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 Aug. 2025
The audio in many of their videos is essentially cartoon sound effects, and much of what happens in them emphasizes their youth, from wearing Pokémon slippers and jumping on couches to feeding each other lollipops and playing water-bottle pranks.
—Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
Cite this Entry
“Cartoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cartoon. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
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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