caricatures 1 of 2

Definition of caricaturesnext
plural of caricature
1
as in parodies
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something that TV network's reporting is a mere caricature of real journalism

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

caricatures

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of caricature

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 caricatures
Noun
The other women in the friends’ lives — primarily their mothers — don’t fare much better and are reduced to near-caricatures. Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026 And in mainstream television, Latinos are very often caricatures. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026 The logo features caricatures of Parra and his wife’s dogs, Max and Louie. Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 15 Apr. 2026 There are some surprise attractions too, from the Cartoon Museum, which documents the history of British cartoons, caricatures and comics, to the spectacular Byzantine-style Fitzrovia Chapel with its gold mosaic ceiling where King Charles recorded his Christmas broadcast in 2024. Siobhan Grogan, TheWeek, 7 Apr. 2026 While some celebrants have greeted these caricatures with cathartic jeers and sneers, others are shocked and outraged. Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026 There will also be hands-on creative activities for people of all ages, including printmaking, henna and glitter tattoos, foam crafts, sand art, caricatures, and more. Alyson Rodriguez, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026 The South’s special flair got lost in a haze of avocado toast pop-ups, reality show caricatures, and music festivals that turned into marketing conferences. Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026 Making matters worse, most of the supporting characters feel like caricatures. Chase Hutchinson, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caricatures
Noun
  • While the show featured many of the same characters, its format strayed from the sci-fi space narrative of Spaceballs and instead was a series of parodies, each episode serving as a satirical commentary on several contemporary hits, such as Lord of the Rings, American Idol and Harry Potter.
    Maddie Garfinkle, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Human artists have designed creative parodies of AI slop, but AI lacks the necessary self-awareness to parody itself, even with a human behind the wheel.
    Cath Virginia, The Verge, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Retro Rewind players run a Blockbuster Video-like movie-rental store set in the early 1990s, complete with spoofs of real blockbusters of the era.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Way better than dusty game show and dinner party spoofs.
    Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Williams, of course, worked at NBC for nearly three decades, including an 11-year run at NBC Nightly News that ended 2015 after exaggerations and falsehoods were found in some of his reporting, including reports from Iraq, and from New Orleans after it had been ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
  • The lurch from declaring fears about Iran to be mere media exaggerations to invoking imminent threat, from demanding the Nobel Peace Prize to luxuriating in lethality, is the essence of the autocrat’s monopoly on unpredictability.
    Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But her desperation seems exposed at Cupertino, too, where Little Tim mocks her for her dim suggestion that psychotherapists be deployed to the company’s Guangzhou factory to cool down a labor crisis.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
  • While most of Hell mocks her goal, her devoted partner Vaggi, and their first test subject, adult-film star Angel Dust, stick by her side.
    Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • One of his jokes in particular has drawn new attention, given the shooting incident at the dinner on Saturday, forcing the Secret Service to rush the Trumps and other administration officials from the dais and other seats near the stage.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Kimmel delivered the jokes about the first lady at a special version of his show that included his version of a fake monologue for the WHCD.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In time, reticules became more ornate and decorative, fashioned in delicate silks and velvets with intricate embroideries.
    Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Vogue points to bold and bright sneakers for spring, plus those with details like sequins and floral embroideries, among other trends.
    Claire Peltier, ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Aristotle said that art imitates nature (ars imitatur naturam), and for centuries, many artists sought to imitate their subjects as realistically as possible.
    Andrey Mir, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Whether or not life imitates art remains to be seen.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • For many attendees, the convention is known to be an epicenter and safe space to celebrate anime and cartoons.
    Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The section also includes editorials, columns by syndicated and local guest writers, political cartoons, and letters to the editor.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Caricatures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caricatures. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.

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