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
Amin, who ruled Uganda for eight years, is usually remembered as a cartoon villain, with an oafish sense of humor that only made his cruelty more unsettling.
—
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Beloved around the world in books, cartoon strips, TV series and movies, the Moomins are coming to the big screen.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
The Simpsons holds a special place at Universal Studios' theme parks — and the cartoon's co-showrunner doesn't think that should ever change.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
Johnson put the toy/comics/cartoons franchise on his large shoulders playing the machine-gunning Cobra hater.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
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.
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Beloved around the world in books, cartoon strips, TV series and movies, the Moomins are coming to the big screen.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
The Simpsons holds a special place at Universal Studios' theme parks — and the cartoon's co-showrunner doesn't think that should ever change.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
Johnson put the toy/comics/cartoons franchise on his large shoulders playing the machine-gunning Cobra hater.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share