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
The comedy derived from pie-in-the-face burlesque, but what distinguished the show was its frenetic pacing. Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025 During a stop on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in June, Roan said horror movies, burlesque and theater also inspire her and her stylist Genesis Webb. Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024
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
  • Ferrell's Ricky Bobby also serves as a pitch-perfect parody of the ego-driven, preening male protagonists of many a racing film.
    James Mercadante, EW.com, 20 May 2025
  • Saturday Night Live's best car sketches, parodies and fake ads Who is in the Season 50 'SNL' cast?
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Read: The attack on trans rights won’t end there The impossible becoming possible is a hard thing to process—and easier to reject or mock than to understand.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
  • Film director Wes Anderson mocked President Donald Trump over his plan to slap tariffs on foreign films made outside of the United States.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Most now proactively educate their customers on how to spot a scam, which personal information to never give out and what to do with a spoof email.
    Lauren Crystal, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
  • On the schedule is shooting an AMP spoof of Storage Wars, as well as AMP Jeopardy.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • At Cruise’s behest, McQuarrie’s stunts imitate the most primitive filmmaking — not the awe-inspiring magic of Georges Méliès but the Lumière brothers’ rudimentary documentation of action.
    Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025
  • Walton imitated the big-box retail store and located them in small towns.
    Dileep Rao, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Oscar Contenders Emerging From First Half Include 'Nouvelle Vague' and Jennifer Lawrence for 'Die My Love' Adding to that pressure, most of the guest stars showed up to the first season of the Hollywood satire to play themselves under heightened circumstances.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
  • Featuring David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone, the film stabs at political satire but is best enjoyed for its visceral campy pleasures.
    James Mercadante, EW.com, 20 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Burlesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burlesque. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

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