as in parody
a creative work that uses sharp humor to point up the foolishness of a person, institution, or human nature in general a satire about the music industry in which a handsome but untalented youth is turned into a pop star

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun satire differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of satire are humor, irony, repartee, sarcasm, and wit. While all these words mean "a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement," satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.

a satire on the Congress

Where would humor be a reasonable alternative to satire?

While in some cases nearly identical to satire, humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness.

a sense of humor

When is irony a more appropriate choice than satire?

Although the words irony and satire have much in common, irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed.

the irony of the title

When would repartee be a good substitute for satire?

The synonyms repartee and satire are sometimes interchangeable, but repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily.

a dinner guest noted for repartee

When can sarcasm be used instead of satire?

The words sarcasm and satire can be used in similar contexts, but sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

given to heartless sarcasm

When could wit be used to replace satire?

The meanings of wit and satire largely overlap; however, wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

a playful wit

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 satire What about travel stories where somebody makes a satire of a society like Gulliver’s Travels? JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025 In a recent shining example of self-reflexive satire, Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand (translated in 2022 from Hindi by Daisy Rockwell), gives us an 80-year-old Indian woman protagonist whose decision to travel to Pakistan disrupts the family’s expectations of women her age. Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025 How about a philosophical horror formatted like an academic paper and flavored with several heaping handfuls of satire? Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025 Political satire on national television—particularly on NBC’s SNL—continues to shape public discourse, and the latest episode, which lampooned Bondi and Noem, drew attention for its comedic send-up of recent Senate testimony and the ongoing government shutdown. Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for satire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for satire
Noun
  • Regretting You is a similarly ridiculous and overwrought slice of melodrama, leavened with strange moments of comedy that leave you wondering if the whole thing isn’t some kind of bizarre art project, an elaborate, camp parody of the very notion of romantic literature itself.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
  • This semester's show is a musical parody of Love Island called Love on an Island.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • On last night’s episode of Saturday Night Live, a QVC spoof about a pillow took a meta turn.
    Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 19 Oct. 2025
  • For instance, think back to when everyone was doing spoofs about titles that dealt with women in trains or in windows or in peril.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Marking her third appearance on the NBC sketch comedy show, Carpenter served as celebrity guest host and musical guest on this weekend’s Saturday Night Live, also performing her song ‘Manchild’.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Sure, but this Megan Fox/Amanda Seyfried black comedy is a cult classic for very good reason.
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Satire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/satire. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on satire

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!