1
as in drawings
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 strips
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 parodies
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 cartoons
Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
Here are the cartoons coming soon to Tubi.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026
Each year, the nation’s streaming services dump literally hundreds of original drama and comedy series into our queues, to say nothing of the cartoons, stand-up specials, and multipart documentaries on offer.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
Saguaro National Park, Arizona The giant saguaro is an iconic figure of the American West, a background player in Westerns and old children’s cartoons alike.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 23 Feb. 2026
But the characters are expressive, and the medium is used to unreal ends, which is, after all, what cartoons are good for.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
The Curtis also leans into nostalgic, themed rooms that focus on cartoons and arcade games.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
Alice’s family is proud of her New Yorker cartoons and covers.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
As the Masters of the Universe makes its way to the big screen, one of Saturday morning cartoons’ most iconic villains is getting the cinematic treatment.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
It is never used for that purpose, although people always like to show that in drawings and cartoons.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
Here are the cartoons coming soon to Tubi.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026
Each year, the nation’s streaming services dump literally hundreds of original drama and comedy series into our queues, to say nothing of the cartoons, stand-up specials, and multipart documentaries on offer.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
Saguaro National Park, Arizona The giant saguaro is an iconic figure of the American West, a background player in Westerns and old children’s cartoons alike.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 23 Feb. 2026
But the characters are expressive, and the medium is used to unreal ends, which is, after all, what cartoons are good for.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
The Curtis also leans into nostalgic, themed rooms that focus on cartoons and arcade games.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
Alice’s family is proud of her New Yorker cartoons and covers.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
As the Masters of the Universe makes its way to the big screen, one of Saturday morning cartoons’ most iconic villains is getting the cinematic treatment.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartoons
Noun
-
Winning The Pick numbers 03-15-17-19-21-31 Check The Pick payouts and previous drawings here.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
8 Mar. 2026
-
When are the Hoosier Lottery drawings held?—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In a picture posted to the animal control’s Facebook page, two strips of tape can be seen holding down the top of the bin.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Brown said the company will increasingly focus on products that showcase plants, like chickpea sausages or faba bean strips.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Countless memes and parodies have circulated online.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
-
There have been countless parodies of the mega-viral ad and lots of unofficial merch created in its honor.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Three weeks later, sketches were ready to be turned into samples.—
Libby Page,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2026
-
There are also costume sketches, props and behind-the-scenes looks.—
Alyson Rodriguez,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The ants that animators once morphed into googly-eyed caricatures in films such as A Bug’s Life and Antz just received a meticulously precise anatomical reboot.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The bulk of Dropout’s involvement plot-wise came down to the cast doing caricatures of their comedic selves on the set and during a police lineup, and Reich being inadvertently responsible for the robbery in question via a bad attempt at insurance fraud.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Miss Manners pictures your guests, looking forward to a pleasant evening with you, being confronted with your suggestions.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
-
After all, no one pictures a futuristic city cloaked in exhaust fumes.—
Alex Hewitt,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Advertisement Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympics portraits on April 29, 2017 in West Hollywood, California.—
Oksana Masters,
Time,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Flare resistance is excellent, too, so take landscape and cityscape images or portraits with the sun in frame without worry.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Colbert did read out several jokes that have been cut during his time on the show, crediting his writing staff for their quips.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Over the years, more than 11,000 inscriptions have been found across the city, ranging from political commentary and love declarations to sporting slogans, jokes, and poems.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cartoons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartoons. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
