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
Zaire Breedlove,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2026
In past generations, kids turned on the TV to watch PBS, Saturday morning cartoons, the Disney Channel, or Nickelodeon.
—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
28 June 2026
The action is well-staged and intense, the color palette moody and evocative, and the design not at all reminiscent of a hundred other cartoons, which makes the show refreshing as well as fun.
—
Maira Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
The strenuous process took a toll on star Bob Hoskins, who spends the entire film chatting with various cartoons.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 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
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
That is one of my favorite cartoons, along with SpongeBob, Jimmy Neutron and Scooby-Doo.
—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
Noun
The convention also featured 17 fan panels held throughout the day, ranging from voice acting and art to discussions on pop culture and nostalgic cartoons.
—
Zaire Breedlove,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2026
In past generations, kids turned on the TV to watch PBS, Saturday morning cartoons, the Disney Channel, or Nickelodeon.
—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
28 June 2026
The action is well-staged and intense, the color palette moody and evocative, and the design not at all reminiscent of a hundred other cartoons, which makes the show refreshing as well as fun.
—
Maira Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
The strenuous process took a toll on star Bob Hoskins, who spends the entire film chatting with various cartoons.
—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 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
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
That is one of my favorite cartoons, along with SpongeBob, Jimmy Neutron and Scooby-Doo.
—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cartoons
Noun
-
The developers will next prepare construction drawings and take other steps in anticipation of breaking ground in about two years.
-
Schematics, facility maps, aerial photographs, engineering drawings, cutaway illustrations, and previously unfamiliar archival images reveal the extraordinary complexity of the undertaking.
Noun
-
The vending machine will offer two-dose boxes of naloxone and other hygiene and personal safety tools, including fentanyl test strips, xylazine, barbiturates, condoms and medetomidine.
-
The designer had also requested half-inch reveals, backed by strips of silvery metal, wherever the walls meet the floors.
Noun
-
Scary Movie paved the way for more big-screen parodies, including Date Movie (2006), Epic Movie (2007), and Meet the Spartans (2008).
-
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.
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
-
Today, the public largely remembers Holmes through magazine covers, courtroom sketches, documentaries, and television dramatizations.
-
Three years ago, Wain and Marino also hit the road with the State for a nostalgic reunion tour that revived many of their greatest sketches and characters.
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
-
The women’s portraits did not contain SynthID watermarks, but an AI detection tool flagged them as containing synthetic elements.
-
Many museums around the world, including the Met, the Getty, and the Musée d’Orsay, own examples of his genre scenes, landscapes, and portraits.
Cite this Entry
“Cartoons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cartoons. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
