1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
rigged from the start, his trial was a travesty of justice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 travesty
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
And that’s a travesty of American history, as even the briefest review of his record will attest.
—Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
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
The midterms will give the American voter the opportunity to end this travesty of justice.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
And that’s a travesty of American history, as even the briefest review of his record will attest.
—Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
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
-
Both a parody of action films and a legitimately great action film on its own terms, this is one of the best genre hybrids of the aughts.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
-
The film from Picturehouse has over 85K social followers on its parody Instagram account (@bboymalone212).—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Rather than focusing on the conspiracy theories Jones espoused, the new InfoWars will build its comedic base off a spoof of the old site’s predatory snake oil rackets.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
-
That movie was an instant cult classic, a terrific spoof of modern-day music celebrity that was well received by critics.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Newspaper owners mocked the idea.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
-
Then again, the anti-Reese sentiment was equally as strong; a separate post that mocked her shooting stats from that April 29 exhibition game generated just as much engagement.—
Candace Buckner,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The charm offensive was benefited Rubio peppering in a number of jokes during his hourlong appearance.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
7 May 2026
-
Thor is now a circus clown — not even a funny one at that — relegated to being the butt of Star-Lord's unfunny jokes and the least-serious Avenger.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Once established, oaks can grow moderately fast if kept watered and then mulched with compost to eliminate competition and imitate forest conditions.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
-
Those cells are highly responsive to mechanical stress—the reason weight-bearing exercise strengthens the skeleton—and the device is designed to imitate that signal through subtle vibration.—
Alice Gregory,
Vogue,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Gangsta rap’s effectiveness as a prosecutorial tool, like the minstrel shows before it, depends on audiences mistaking caricature for authenticity, and hinges on hearing artistic expression as documentary evidence of criminal actions.—
A.D. Carson,
The Conversation,
6 May 2026
-
Sacramento City Unified School District is looking to change a high school mascot which depicts a racial caricature that is offensive to the Indigenous community.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Should Congress do more to hold the president accountable?—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Wins and losses in this league for starters are highly dependent on a lot of other guys doing their jobs as well.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Contested election Earlier this year, Myanmar completed its third and final round of voting in a general election, a process which has been widely called a sham by international observers.—
Lorcan Lovett,
NPR,
3 May 2026
-
Use the matching shams with the same color as the quilt facing out for a cohesive design, or mix and match the shams and quilt for a layered look with dimension.—
Caley Sturgill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
