adjective
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of, relating to, or containing satire
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given to the use of satire
Synonym Usage
See cynical.
Other Word Forms
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nonsatiricalnessnoun
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satiricalnessnoun
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subsatiricalnessnoun
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unsatiricalnessnoun
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nonsatiricadjective
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nonsatiricaladjective
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pseudosatiricaladjective
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quasi-satiricaladjective
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semisatiricadjective
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semisatiricaladjective
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subsatiricadjective
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subsatiricaladjective
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unsatiricadjective
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unsatiricaladjective
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nonsatiricallyadverb
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pseudosatiricallyadverb
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quasi-satiricallyadverb
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satiricallyadverb
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semisatiricallyadverb
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subsatiricallyadverb
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unsatiricallyadverb
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.
Count Binface is the satirical alter ego of comedian Jon Harvey, who has specialised in satire and been involved with BBC comedy shows, including The Thick of It and Have I Got News For You.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Harvey, 46, is a University of Oxford Classics graduate who has written for popular satirical television programmes including "The Thick of It" and "Have I Got News for You".
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
“The House of Mirth,” Terence Davies’ 2000 period drama based on the satirical 1905 novel by Edith Wharton, represented a breakthrough.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Eight of these names have already appeared on multiple ballot papers elsewhere in the UK however, including Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox and satirical candidates Count Binface and Howling Laud Hope.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
The satirical magazine Private Eye once printed one of the letters from Biro’s representatives, incidentally, under the memorable heading, “What a pathetic way to make a living”.
From "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Author
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.
