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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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:

• satire vs. sarcasm

Example Sentences

“Sentimental Value’s” scenes of bittersweet family disconnection are well done, but I kept feeling like the movie really wanted to be a chippy satire about the movie business.

From Los Angeles Times

Incorporating folk humor, satire and Mexican history, their work later evolved to include commentary on the Vietnam War, racism, inequality and Chicano culture more broadly.

From Los Angeles Times

If the Dodgers’ spending habits border on satire to you, well, the Onion got there first.

From Los Angeles Times

That spot could also go to Joachim Trier, the director and co-writer of “Sentimental Value,” a family drama that sneaks in some sharp satire about the sorry state of filmmaking these days.

From Los Angeles Times

Her first novel, a satire about a pop singer brought to fame and as quickly dispatched by a cynical press, was a bestseller in the early 1930s.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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