1
as in parodies
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
that TV network's reporting is a mere caricature of real journalism
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2
as in spoofs
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
the artist creates caricatures of famous paintings by replacing humans with cats
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3
as in exaggerations
the representation of something in terms that go beyond the facts
the mayor has presented only a caricature of his opponent's views
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in mocks
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
caricatured the supervisor's distinctive walk
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Recent Examples of caricatures
Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
In other words, the caricatures themselves created the conflict.
—Justin Angle, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Most importantly, each of the transmasculine characters featured in Crawl feel like real people, which is a grand departure from the hollow caricatures we’re usually fed, whose personalities start and end with being trans.
—Ana Osorno, Them., 21 Nov. 2025
Neither Brolin’s narcissistic power broker nor Domingo’s scenery-chewing master of ceremonies necessarily feel like caricatures.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Nathan and everyone else here is ideally supportive; the sole negativity comes from the parents, who come off as rather one-dimensional caricatures of glint-eyed intolerance in their few scenes.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Performers milled on the street with bobbing paper mache heads of Uncle Sam and other caricatures.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025
The characters are bright, marionette-like caricatures whom the author constructs and moves ostentatiously in full view of the reader, revealing his artistic devices with a sense of absurd, mischievous humor.
—Nelly Klos
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Kimmel, like Stephen Colbert, went from acting as boorish right-wing caricatures to playing themselves — that is, liberals who dislike Trump and support vaccines.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
Chamberlain also included a drawing of the girls in the group done on a paper tablecloth which included caricatures of Carpenter, Sandoval, Chamberlain and Sarah, as well as Carpenter's friend Amber Mark.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
In other words, the caricatures themselves created the conflict.
—Justin Angle, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Most importantly, each of the transmasculine characters featured in Crawl feel like real people, which is a grand departure from the hollow caricatures we’re usually fed, whose personalities start and end with being trans.
—Ana Osorno, Them., 21 Nov. 2025
Neither Brolin’s narcissistic power broker nor Domingo’s scenery-chewing master of ceremonies necessarily feel like caricatures.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Nathan and everyone else here is ideally supportive; the sole negativity comes from the parents, who come off as rather one-dimensional caricatures of glint-eyed intolerance in their few scenes.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
Performers milled on the street with bobbing paper mache heads of Uncle Sam and other caricatures.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025
The characters are bright, marionette-like caricatures whom the author constructs and moves ostentatiously in full view of the reader, revealing his artistic devices with a sense of absurd, mischievous humor.
—Nelly Klos
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Kimmel, like Stephen Colbert, went from acting as boorish right-wing caricatures to playing themselves — that is, liberals who dislike Trump and support vaccines.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caricatures
Noun
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O'Brien then recalled his time on The Harvard Lampoon, his alma mater's humor publication also known for its parodies of magazines.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Each of the first three episodes takes place in a different decade and parodies a different generational style of sitcom.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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What’s Upstairs at the Downstairs is always a patchwork of mild satire, blatant spoofs, witty music, local jokes.—
Laird Borrelli-Persson,
Vogue,
21 Dec. 2025
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Although, Kimmel acknowledged, Washington technically could have picked either Guillermo, as his sidekick also starred alongside Washington in a series of Scandal spoofs called Escandalo that were featured on the late-night show back in 2014.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But that’s only fair, since wild exaggerations are exactly what music videos are all about.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
16 Nov. 2025
-
Too often, these nations assume such threats are bluffs or exaggerations because their own logic struggles to grasp that someone would be so blatant.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Chelsea Handler honors Rob Reiner, mocks DiCaprio's 'Titanic' vacationNeed a news break?—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
-
There, Callahan mocks him, saying that killing him won't assuage Mike of his guilt.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Yes, as it is said, some jokes just write themselves.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
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Performers have been reprimanded for making racist, sexist and homophobic jokes during shows in the late 1990s and 2000s, according to Westword, and Stock Show officials were quick to apologize.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Colors take center stage, embedding references to the paintings and glasswork in European churches, the hues of the natural landscape in China’s Dunhuang county, as well as to the iconography and embroideries from the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern dynasties in ancient China.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
13 Jan. 2026
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In Italy, Antonio Marras combined rugged denim with delicate lace and embroideries.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The layered neckline, with the bust peeking out from behind, imitates this season's hottest red carpet trend, the semi-visible bra.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
12 Jan. 2026
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Its light imitates an actual sunrise, gradually going from red to bright white.—
Quincy Bulin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For a long time your political cartoons published in the editorial pages have irritated me.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Jan. 2026
-
He was widely discouraged from a career in cartoons, and after a series of rejections, majored in economics.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Caricatures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caricatures. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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