1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
rigged from the start, his trial was a travesty of justice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spoof
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
the big-screen version of the classic sitcom is actually a good-natured travesty of the TV series
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
this comedy sketch mindlessly travesties the hard work of relief workers around the world
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Recent Examples of travesty
Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
By the season’s end, in fact, more than a few travesties are laid at Peter’s feet.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 Nov. 2025
The New Republic, 22 June 2023
Readers may be tempted to side at one moment with the defenders of Jewish caution and Jewish sentiment, however their instincts are travestied, and soon afterward with Zuckerman’s principled view of the autonomy of art.
—Cynthia Ozick, WSJ, 25 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for travesty
Noun
Refugee review a 'travesty' News of the memo, first reported by Reuters, was met with alarm and indignation among humanitarian and refugee assistance organizations.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
By the season’s end, in fact, more than a few travesties are laid at Peter’s feet.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
In 1933, the Marx Brothers mocked dictatorship with Duck Soup; three decades later, Kubrick and writer Terry Southern travestied the Bomb.
—The New Republic, 22 June 2023
Readers may be tempted to side at one moment with the defenders of Jewish caution and Jewish sentiment, however their instincts are travestied, and soon afterward with Zuckerman’s principled view of the autonomy of art.
—Cynthia Ozick, WSJ, 25 May 2018
See All Example Sentences for travesty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for travesty
Noun
-
Humphrey, determined to recreate the video as accurately as possible, worked with Southwest to film her parody on a real plane with the same flight attendant from the first video.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The governor’s willingness to mock the president through aggressive social-media parody elevated him to de facto resistance leader.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Dunkin’ superfan was back for his fourth consecutive year in the Boston chain’s Super Bowl commercial, this time for a spoof on his and Damon’s 1997 film Good Will Hunting.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
9 Feb. 2026
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Guthrie went back to her alma mater The University of Arizona, greeting its president Suresh Garimella in one spoof and meeting sorority sisters at her own Pi Beta Phi in another skit.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At one point, ref Michael Oliver takes pleasure in mocking a poor first touch from Conor Gallagher, which the Tottenham midfielder takes in good humour.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
That one of the bartenders in New Orleans reportedly mocked him by referencing Holes to THRfeels like something right out of that movie.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Episodes are a blend of political analysis, jokes that test the boundaries of good taste, and interviews with high-profile guests.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
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General catastrophizing Some people are naturally prone to anxiety and overthinking everything—like a work typo, or a throwaway joke that now feels catastrophic.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Brameshuber picked and cast people and put them in a car with Sommer in a studio to imitate the experience of long rides and allow for free-flowing conversations to develop, sometimes giving Sommer pointers, via an earpiece, about questions and topics to pursue.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
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Patagonia’s proprietary synthetic fill imitates down’s structure by spinning air-trapping microfilaments around a central fiber and requires fewer stabilizing seams and baffles than down.—
Kelly Bastone,
Outside,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Advertisement The ability to sit face to face, to listen as much as to argue, to disagree without retreating into caricature is a prerequisite for meaningful action.—
Alan H.H. Fleischmann,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
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Martin himself has a knack for reinforcing these caricatures.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nor did Liu attempt a quadruple toe loop as did the Russian Adeliia Petrosian.—
Bora Erden,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Through a stellar debut season, freshman Jazzy Davidson has done everything for USC that was asked of her.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The set comes with matching pillow shams in every size for a simple bedroom refresh at a budget-friendly price.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
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Sarah Sherman Samuel transforms high-quality hemp bedding with a tiger illustration—drawn by her son, no less—to make a set of shams perfect for elevating your bedding set with custom-like details.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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