plural cartoons
1
: a preparatory design, drawing, or painting (as for a fresco)
2
a
: a drawing intended as satire, caricature, or humor
a political cartoon
a cartoon drawing
b
: a group of drawings in narrative sequence : comic strip
3
: a video (such as a television show or movie) that is made from a series of drawings, computer graphics, or photographs of inanimate objects (such as puppets) and that simulates movement by slight progressive changes in each frame : animated cartoon
4
: a ludicrously simplistic, unrealistic, or one-dimensional portrayal or version
The film's villain is an entertaining cartoon.
cartoon
verb
cartoonishly
adverb
Examples of cartoon in a Sentence
She enjoys reading the cartoons in the Sunday paper.
The kids are watching cartoons.
Recent Examples on the Web
Vivian feels like a cartoon character with hearts spilling out of her head.
—
Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
North Park — about 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the South Park valley that inspired the cartoon TV show — is a headwaters of the eastward-flowing Platte River system.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The packaging features a cartoon version of him, soul patch and all.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 1 Apr. 2026
Pickles frequently appear in comedic settings, from cartoon characters struggling with oversized jars to absurd internet memes celebrating the eccentricity of pickle enthusiasts.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
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Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
North Park — about 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the South Park valley that inspired the cartoon TV show — is a headwaters of the eastward-flowing Platte River system.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The packaging features a cartoon version of him, soul patch and all.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 1 Apr. 2026
Pickles frequently appear in comedic settings, from cartoon characters struggling with oversized jars to absurd internet memes celebrating the eccentricity of pickle enthusiasts.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cartoon
Cite this Entry
“Cartoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cartoon. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cartoon
noun
car·toon
kär-ˈtün 
1
: a design, drawing, or painting made as a model for the finished work
2
a
: a drawing intended as a humorous comment on public affairs
b
3
Etymology
from Italian cartone "pasteboard, a sketch of a planned drawing or painting done on heavy paper," from carta "sheet of paper," from Latin charta "piece of papyrus" — related to card entry 3, carton
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