parody 1 of 2

1
as in spoof
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect the musical is a parody of every biblical epic ever made

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in joke
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something the young man sported a feeble parody of a mustache in a vain attempt to make himself look older

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

parody

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun parody differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of parody are burlesque, caricature, and travesty. While all these words mean "a comic or grotesque imitation," parody applies especially to treatment of a trivial or ludicrous subject in the exactly imitated style of a well-known author or work.

a witty parody of a popular novel

Where would burlesque be a reasonable alternative to parody?

The words burlesque and parody are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, burlesque implies mockery especially through giving a serious or lofty subject a frivolous treatment.

a nightclub burlesque of a trial in court

When is caricature a more appropriate choice than parody?

Although the words caricature and parody have much in common, caricature implies ludicrous exaggeration of the characteristic features of a subject.

caricatures of politicians in cartoons

When could travesty be used to replace parody?

The synonyms travesty and parody are sometimes interchangeable, but travesty implies that the subject remains unchanged but that the style is extravagant or absurd.

this production is a travesty of the opera

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 parody
Noun
The social-media gurus of each team had a huddle and came out with their best pop-culture parodies. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 May 2025 Page brought streetwise irreverence and church-house parody into her routines, proving that Black women could own their sexuality, and spirituality all at once. Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
In the sketch, comedian Sarah Sherman parodies Aimee Lou Wood’s character of Chelsea by wearing fake teeth. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 5 May 2025 Meanwhile, Kimmel kept them coming for him, at one point helming an entire episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live while dressed as Leno and parodying him. Shania Russell, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for parody
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parody
Noun
  • Most now proactively educate their customers on how to spot a scam, which personal information to never give out and what to do with a spoof email.
    Lauren Crystal, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
  • On the schedule is shooting an AMP spoof of Storage Wars, as well as AMP Jeopardy.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • Think light beer, string lights, pizza, a cake with a callback to a joke from the show on it.
    Kelly Stout, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2025
  • Sarah Sherman became the butt of a joke in Johansson's musical monologue, with the MCU alum suggesting Sherman had been axed from the show without her knowledge.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • Read: The attack on trans rights won’t end there The impossible becoming possible is a hard thing to process—and easier to reject or mock than to understand.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
  • Film director Wes Anderson mocked President Donald Trump over his plan to slap tariffs on foreign films made outside of the United States.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Oscar Contenders Emerging From First Half Include 'Nouvelle Vague' and Jennifer Lawrence for 'Die My Love' Adding to that pressure, most of the guest stars showed up to the first season of the Hollywood satire to play themselves under heightened circumstances.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
  • Featuring David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone, the film stabs at political satire but is best enjoyed for its visceral campy pleasures.
    James Mercadante, EW.com, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Many of those loud and wrong critics are the usual suspects: conservatives who also believe diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are unnecessary and racist trolls who have used AI to turn the statue into a racist caricature.
    Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 14 May 2025
  • Honey Boo Boo makes small, fleeting appearances throughout her interview for this week's cover story — a giggle here, a slight neck roll there — but Alana, now a 19-year-old college student at Regis University in Colorado, is no longer a caricature of her own making.
    Janine Rubenstein, People.com, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • At Cruise’s behest, McQuarrie’s stunts imitate the most primitive filmmaking — not the awe-inspiring magic of Georges Méliès but the Lumière brothers’ rudimentary documentation of action.
    Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025
  • Walton imitated the big-box retail store and located them in small towns.
    Dileep Rao, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • A couple of clicks on a laptop later, and an artificial intelligence tool synced Mr. Peck’s voice with a cartoon pirate’s mouth movements.
    Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 21 May 2025
  • Hollywood as a city where humans and cartoons uneasily coexist—most notably in the segregated Toontown.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • The characters are too one-dimensional to care about — though we’re sporadically asked to do just that — yet at the same time their cartoonishness isn’t treated with enough gusto to actually be fun.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 May 2025
  • But then, proving the impossible possible is what these films have done from the start.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Parody.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parody. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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