cartoon
Americannoun
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cartoons
plural
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a sketch or drawing, usually humorous, as in a newspaper or periodical, symbolizing, satirizing, or caricaturing some action, subject, or person of popular interest.
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Fine Arts. a full-scale design for a picture, ornamental motif or pattern, or the like, to be transferred to a fresco, tapestry, etc.
adjective
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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a humorous or satirical drawing, esp one in a newspaper or magazine, concerning a topical event
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Also called: comic strip. a sequence of drawings in a newspaper, magazine, etc, relating a comic or adventurous situation
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See animated cartoon
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a full-size preparatory sketch for a fresco, tapestry, mosaic, etc, from which the final work is traced or copied
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of cartoon
First recorded in 1665–75; from Italian cartone “pasteboard, stout paper, a drawing on such paper,” equivalent to cart(a) “paper” ( see carte) + -one augmentative suffix
Explanation
A cartoon makes a brief, funny comment using illustrations and is often found on television, in a newspaper or in a magazine. The Simpsons and Snoopy? Both cartoons. A cartoon can be a satirical or humorous drawing, a series of illustrations (also called a comic strip), or an animated film. Many kids grow up watching new and classic cartoons on TV. Political cartoons manage to sum up an often complex idea in one simple panel. When you criticize a character or a real person for being a cartoon, you mean that they are overly simplified or exaggerated: "I hate that show because all the women are cartoon characters." The word comes from the Italian cartone, "strong, heavy paper."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It may also continue to haunt us forever after, as in the bone-clanking, teeth-chattering, spookily percussive 1929 animated Disney cartoon frolic, “The Skeleton Dance.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
And Disney’s preschool cartoon “Spidey and His Amazing Friends” is a huge hit that helps create fans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
A striking cartoon of Wang Wang and her puppies caught the eye of many football fans during a domestic game at a stadium in Dalian on Saturday.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The vibes are childish, more like those of 11-year-old boys pretending they’re in an action cartoon than adult men who read books and enjoy the company of women.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
I’m pretty sure I had cartoon steam coming out of my ears, because Dad knew I was fuming and didn’t even try to make small talk anymore.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
The service benefits from Warner films, cartoons and HBO’s critically acclaimed original content including “Euphoria,” “Hacks,” “The Gilded Age” and “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” which debuted earlier this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
“Ow,” Ayden yelped, cartoons playing in the background.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
“He’s eating McDonald’s, watching cartoons, doing just great, and they’re telling the story to the world that he’s ready to die,” claimed McAfee.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
“Doonesbury”—which still publishes once a week—has always had more words than most other cartoons and very little action, its closing note often one of doleful recognition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Those days, she’d just stay on the couch, legs tucked underneath her, and doodle in her sketchbook while I watched cartoons.
From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
