satire
Americannoun
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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.
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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
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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
noun
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a novel, play, entertainment, etc, in which topical issues, folly, or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony
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the genre constituted by such works
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the use of ridicule, irony, etc, to create such an effect
Related Words
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
- nonsatire noun
Etymology
Origin of satire
First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin satira, variant of satura “medley,” perhaps feminine derivative of satur “sated” ( saturate )
Compare meaning
How does satire compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
The complaint also argues that Jonasi presented his translation “as authoritative fact, not comedy,” so it shouldn’t get the 1st Amendment protections afforded to parody and satire.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
Mr. Sokolov and co-writer Alex Litvak barely bother with scratching out the crudest imaginable dialogue, which is unfortunate because they fancy themselves the creators of a sociopolitical satire along the lines of “Get Out.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
Saturday Night Live UK will follow a similar format, with each 75-minute episode featuring an opening monologue as well as topical sketches, live music and a satire of the week's news called Weekend Update.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
"The live action short category, it's particularly diverse in its genres," Julia Aks, nominated alongside Steve Pinder for their satire "Jane Austen's Period Drama," told AFP.
From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026
Some brilliant satire on the decadent Old South being cast before the unaware swine in the Night of Joy audience.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
