adjective
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of, relating to, or containing satire
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given to the use of satire
Related Words
See cynical.
Other Word Forms
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nonsatiricadjective
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nonsatiricaladjective
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nonsatiricallyadverb
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nonsatiricalnessnoun
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pseudosatiricaladjective
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pseudosatiricallyadverb
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quasi-satiricaladjective
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quasi-satiricallyadverb
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satiricallyadverb
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satiricalnessnoun
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semisatiricadjective
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semisatiricaladjective
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semisatiricallyadverb
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subsatiricadjective
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subsatiricaladjective
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subsatiricallyadverb
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subsatiricalnessnoun
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unsatiricadjective
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unsatiricaladjective
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unsatiricallyadverb
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unsatiricalnessnoun
Etymology
Origin of satirical
First recorded in 1520–30; from Late Latin satiric(us) (from satir(a) satire + -icus -ic ) + -al 1
Explanation
If you know the movie you are about to see is satirical, you expect it to make fun some aspect of human nature or even our society, like a satirical take on the glamorous world of fashion that portrays all the designers as celebrity-obsessed and unconcerned with true artistry. Satirical is an adjective that describes satire, a work that is intended to ridicule the shortcomings and antics of a person or group. So, something that is satirical often looks like the real thing in order to make fun of it. For example, a sketch on a comedy show in which a comedian sits behind a news anchor desk and uses a serious tone to "report" on absurd events that really happened takes a satirical approach to both the events and the concept of broadcast journalism.
Vocabulary lists containing satirical
100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
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This Week in Pop Culture: August 10–16, 2019
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
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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.
US satirical publication The Onion has proposed a new plan to take over Infowars, the media company run by right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
Far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones melted down on social media on Tuesday, after learning that his right-wing conspiracist media company Infowars will be acquired by satirical news site The Onion.
From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026
This is the stage set for the release of Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel “Yesteryear,” a satirical thriller in which Christian tradwife influencer Natalie awakes in an 1855 homestead with no explanation and no escape.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
With almost 160,000 followers on Instagram, he posts satirical videos about Cuba's blackouts and other hardships.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
The plot of Aristophanes’ satirical play The Frogs of 405 bc, for instance, like the story of Orpheus and Euridice, concerns a life-or- death poetry and singing competition in the Underworld.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
