1
as in sketch
a picture using lines to represent the chief features of an object or scene
a political cartoon mocking the state legislature
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in strip
a series of drawings that tell a story or part of a story
reading the cartoons in the Sunday newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
in this biopic the life of a complex man is reduced to a cartoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 cartoon
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Inspired by both the classic cartoons of the 1930s and gritty noir detective movies of the same era, the black-and-white, first-person shooter game stars Baker as the main protagonist, mouse detective Jack Pepper.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
But this new cartoon and its elastic and slaphappy star, Mickey Mouse, represented a dramatic turnaround for the 5-year-old company.
—Mark Lane, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Jeff MacNelly’s editorial cartoon on filing taxes is perhaps the most popular and surely the funniest single cartoon in Tribune history.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
Noun
Politics, profits and fear have driven so many publications to stop using one of the most powerful communication tools available … political cartoons.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Inspired by both the classic cartoons of the 1930s and gritty noir detective movies of the same era, the black-and-white, first-person shooter game stars Baker as the main protagonist, mouse detective Jack Pepper.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
But this new cartoon and its elastic and slaphappy star, Mickey Mouse, represented a dramatic turnaround for the 5-year-old company.
—Mark Lane, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Jeff MacNelly’s editorial cartoon on filing taxes is perhaps the most popular and surely the funniest single cartoon in Tribune history.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartoon
Noun
-
The idea to create these pieces, which deftly straddle the world of art and fashion, came from a sketch that founder Erin Saluti made more than a decade ago—her dream purse, made from a block of wood.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Kelly, and Hunt as based on a character from an NBC Sports sketch.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fuqua even shot an entire action sequence recreating the infamous 1993 raid on Neverland Ranch, which culminated in police officers strip-searching Jackson and examining his genitals to compare them with Chandler’s description.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Popular items include chicken tikka masala, orange chicken with broccoli and chicken strips, along with sides like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The musical — a rock-and-raunch, goth-and-gay parody of cheesy, mid-century horror/sci-fi flicks — was created by Richard O’Brien (book, music, lyrics and who performed as the snarling butler Riff Raff).—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The new plan does not change the Onion’s mission, which is to turn the site into a parody of itself and sell merchandise, sharing profits with Sandy Hook families.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This idea of reasonableness is easily caricatured as moral timidity or a bloodless neutrality that drains politics of passion.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Advertisement Commandment 9—Sultan of insult: Reducing complexity to simplicity As a master of the insensitive insult, Trump strips complex adversaries down to simple, mocking caricatures, often grounded in some shred of truth, however exaggerated and caricatured.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And don’t forget to visit Bonampak in Chiapas to see stunning murals that depict Mayan culture with drawings of sacrifices and wars that took place in the classical and post-classical eras.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The April 27 drawing marked the first time a player matched all winning numbers to claim the jackpot.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This comic, which is on display at the Griffin MSI, tells the familiar story of high school student Peter Parker getting bitten by a radioactive spider during a science experiment.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Lin, who plays Liu Kang in Warner Bros’ Mortal Kombat movie franchise and previously starred in the Power Rangers franchise, recently appeared as a stand-up comic in Lee’s upcoming third season of the docuseries Comedy InvAsian.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These headwinds, together with Spirit’s ongoing reputational challenges like being the target of jokes by late-night hosts and prominent press coverage of its two brushes with bankruptcy, likely account for Spirit’s satisfaction decline.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
-
As anachronisms constantly threaten to puncture the illusion, the cast stays wry, nimble and self-conscious in order to locate plot points and jokes that reinforce the golden-age radio setting, scribbling notes and introducing characters that propel them through ludicrous narrative arcs.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An earlier cut of the film did end in 1993 and addressed the allegations, but that ending had to be scrapped due to a clause in a legal settlement with an accuser that stipulated he could never be pictured or mentioned in a dramatization of Jackson’s life.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In the 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson, Michael was pictured holding hands with Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old and recovering from cancer at the time.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cartoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartoon. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
