satire

[sat-ahy^uhr]

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

satire

/ 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

satire

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.

Other Word Forms

• nonsatire noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of satire¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of satire¹

C16: from Latin satira a mixture, from satur sated, from satis enough

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Jon Stewart’s biting satire may have made his new bosses squirm, but they went ahead and extended the comedian’s run on Comedy Central through December 2026.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For many, the post is no longer satire; it’s a reflection of policy and political behavior that directly impacts Americans’ lives.

Read more on Salon

Humor and satire play a supporting role, but the posts also function as public service announcements, keeping citizens informed while nudging accountability.

Read more on Salon

We’d stay up late debating string theory, behavioral economics, even the origins of satire.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

All of the franchise’s social satire is right there in the 1985 original, which returns to theaters this week to mark its 40th anniversary.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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