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What 18th-century satire famously targeted the inhumane treatment of Ireland's impoverished people?

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satire

American  

[sat-ahy^uhr] / ˈsæt aɪər /

noun

• satires
  plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• satires
  plural

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

See Examples For:

satire satires

Like them, you want the satire to make you feel smart, to make you feel like you’re one of the good guys?

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

The satire from director Alejandro González Iñárritu about an impending climate change apocalypse has divided critics, yielding very mixed reviews.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

The story unfolds into a humorous and poignant satire that makes sharp observations about the state of modern masculinity and creative life.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

The previous record of 13 was set just last year by Hollywood satire “The Studio,” also from Apple TV.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

I almost begged R. Howard Ridgefield to give up his satire for a while.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

But Verhoeven’s Hollywood films are all satires of one aspect of American life or another.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026

The latter film is one of Keaton’s lesser-known but still brilliantly limned stone-faced satires, in this case involving cowpokes and its star’s tender feelings for a milk cow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 17, 2025

“Two brilliant showbiz satires, ‘Hacks’ and ‘The Studio,’ will likely be battling it out,” predicts Matt Roush.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2025

But it wasn’t until 2019, when Ms. Auder’s yoga satires began to get some notice, that she thought she might try to sell the book one last time.

From New York Times ● Apr. 28, 2023

Among the best of his lighter satires is the poem numbered xvii:— O Colonia, quae cupis ponte ludere magno,— which has some touches of graceful poetry as well as of humorous extravagance.

From The Roman Poets of the Republic by W. Y. Sellar

Related Words

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