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
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 June 2026
There were cartoons while dressing children, evening news while cooking dinner, and, before bed, families watched mutely as onscreen families laughed and talked.
—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
That is one of my favorite cartoons, along with SpongeBob, Jimmy Neutron and Scooby-Doo.
—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
Paper was scarce during the war, so the boy would roust himself out of bed early and intercept the delivery of newspapers and magazines, going at their blank margins with his pencil, drawing figures, cartoons, landscapes, whatever struck his fancy.
—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
His books also included Laughing Matter — A Treasury of American Humor (1989), a collection of stories, cartoons, essays and scripts featuring Woody Allen, Russell Baker, Gary Trudeau and Garrison Keillor, among others.
—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
So the whole success of the Tracey Ullman Show shorts were based on 15-second cartoons.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
Saturday morning cartoons created a special, quiet time for kids to feel seen and enjoy their own space.
—
Alex Shoemaker,
Parents,
6 June 2026
Americans of Kokopeli’s vintage are old enough to remember TV-watching as restricted by the times shows went on-air, by the channels their parents paid for, and by the public service announcements they were forced to get through during morning cartoons.
—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Noun
Most people know Nickelodeon for cartoons these days, but in the ‘90s, the channel was just as likely to host teen favorites like Clarissa Explains It All and other live-action shows like Gullah Gullah Island.
—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 June 2026
There were cartoons while dressing children, evening news while cooking dinner, and, before bed, families watched mutely as onscreen families laughed and talked.
—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
That is one of my favorite cartoons, along with SpongeBob, Jimmy Neutron and Scooby-Doo.
—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
Paper was scarce during the war, so the boy would roust himself out of bed early and intercept the delivery of newspapers and magazines, going at their blank margins with his pencil, drawing figures, cartoons, landscapes, whatever struck his fancy.
—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
His books also included Laughing Matter — A Treasury of American Humor (1989), a collection of stories, cartoons, essays and scripts featuring Woody Allen, Russell Baker, Gary Trudeau and Garrison Keillor, among others.
—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
So the whole success of the Tracey Ullman Show shorts were based on 15-second cartoons.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
Saturday morning cartoons created a special, quiet time for kids to feel seen and enjoy their own space.
—
Alex Shoemaker,
Parents,
6 June 2026
Americans of Kokopeli’s vintage are old enough to remember TV-watching as restricted by the times shows went on-air, by the channels their parents paid for, and by the public service announcements they were forced to get through during morning cartoons.
—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartoons
Noun
-
The prize has been building for more than three months without a winner, setting up one of the biggest drawings of the year.
-
An exhibition last year of drawings and ephemera from the making of the Fox Trot Carousel reminded people about the carousel, Lusk said.
Noun
-
Bartlett’s character is like a rock slab, a vestige of an ancient religion, brought to life in overlapping strips of muslin, linen, and leather in shades of dove, cream, gray, and pale blue, with his hood pulled tight around his face and his hands wrapped in mittens.
-
Pile these sweet-and-sour onion strips on hot dogs, hamburgers, or sandwiches.
Noun
-
Tiddes gave props to Paramount’s marketing department, which created a string of memes and myriad parodies on social media to lead the masses to Scary Movie.
-
Yankovic has recorded parodies of songs by Madonna, Michael Jackson, Nirvana, Queen, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Eminem and many others.
Verb
-
The Breadwinner star pictures the destination as the culmination of his career, according to a Wall Street Journal profile published on May 15.
-
Miss Manners pictures your guests, looking forward to a pleasant evening with you, being confronted with your suggestions.
Noun
-
Ironically, only Branwell’s room, papered with sketches and poems, looks like an artist’s refuge.
-
Think rough sketches rather than finished paintings, or first drafts of novels sent to the printers without edits or proofreading.
Noun
-
Lowbrow sources such as Sunday funnies, B movies, and advertisements are present but are more diffuse, rarely coalescing into obvious quotation.
Noun
-
And the thing about caricatures?
-
Too often, caricatures are deployed to justify unfair and unjust treatment.
Noun
-
Alongside artist and archival producer Hudson Campbell, who created oil portraits of the four central figures, the team leaned on AI to add animation, movement, expression, and immediacy to people whose likenesses were absent from history.
-
The Pompadour Suite is theatrical in its own way, with dramatic portraits, antique furnishings, and oak floors.
Cite this Entry
“Cartoons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartoons. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
