satire

American  

[sat-ahy^uhr] / ˈsæt aɪər /

noun

1. the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, to expose, denounce, or deride the folly or corruption of institutions, people, or social structures.

   The success of the production stems from its balance of affectionate comedy and well-observed satire.

2. a work of art, literature, or entertainment in which the folly and corruption of human beings, institutions, or social structures are exposed, denounced, or ridiculed.

   The skit offended only those who didn’t recognize it as a political satire.

   Did you notice that all the novels on her bookshelf were satires?

   Synonyms:

   travesty, parody, caricature, burlesque

3. a genre of literature, art, or entertainment comprising such works.

   The eighteenth century is considered British literature’s golden age of satire.

   Synonyms:

   travesty, parody, caricature, burlesque

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satire British  

/ ˈsætaɪə /

noun

1. a novel, play, entertainment, etc, in which topical issues, folly, or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony

2. the genre constituted by such works

3. the use of ridicule, irony, etc, to create such an effect

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satire Cultural  

1. A work of literature that mocks social conventions, another work of art, or anything its author thinks ridiculous. Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift, is a satire of eighteenth-century British society.

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Synonym Usage

See irony ¹. Satire, lampoon refer to literary forms in which vices or follies are ridiculed. Satire, the general term, often emphasizes the weakness more than the weak person, and usually implies moral judgment and corrective purpose: Swift's satire of human pettiness and bestiality. Lampoon refers to a form of satire, often political or personal, characterized by the malice or virulence of its attack: lampoons of the leading political figures.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsatire
  noun

Etymology

Origin of satire

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin satira, variant of satura “medley,” perhaps feminine derivative of satur “sated” ( see saturate)

Compare meaning

How does satire compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• satire vs. sarcasm

Explanation

Satire is a way of making fun of people by using silly or exaggerated language. Politicians are easy targets for satire, especially when they're acting self-righteous or hypocritical. Even though the ridiculous language of satire isn't intended to be taken seriously, well-made satire can use mockery to get at more serious truths. Sometimes satire can even overtake reality: when the television sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live presented a mock debate between Al Gore and George W. Bush during the 2000 presidential campaign season, the satire was so dead-on that it influenced the way people thought of the candidates.

Example Sentences

A full 20 years after the screen debut of the satire, the topspin of its best lines still whizzes with the same precision and blistering flight path of its 2006 self.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

What kind of satire does so much sanitizing?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

Some argued he was an ancient fertility figure, others a Roman Hercules, or even a later satire of Oliver Cromwell.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

But Riley’s debut, the 2018 semi-sci-fi satire “Sorry to Bother You,” was a rare bright light.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

He promised that we would soon have a satire acted upon the rebels, writ by the notorious wit Major-General Burgoyne, with curtain-tunes and airs by this same excellent sapper to please the crowd.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• banter
• caricature
• irony
• mockery
• parody
• sarcasm
• skit
• spoof
• wit