travesty

1 of 2

noun

trav·​es·​ty ˈtra-və-stē 

plural travesties

1

: a debased, distorted, or grossly inferior imitation

a travesty of justice

2

: a burlesque translation or literary or artistic imitation usually grotesquely incongruous in style, treatment, or subject matter

travesty

2 of 2

verb

travestied; travestying

transitive verb

: to make a travesty of : parody

Did you know?

When disaster strikes, keeping track of which word to use seems pretty unimportant. But you don’t want to describe disastrous events as travesties, because they’re not: they’re tragedies. Travesties are terrible too, but travesty refers specifically to something that is done in a way that makes a mockery of what it’s supposed to be: for example, a contest won by the judge’s spouse could be considered a travesty. And a trial in which the defendant wasn’t allowed to present evidence could be described as a “travesty of justice.” Travesty, which can also function as a verb meaning “to make a travesty of” or “to parody,” comes from the French verb travestir, meaning “to disguise.” Its roots, however, wind back through Italian to the Latin verb vestire, meaning “to clothe” or “to dress.” Other descendants of vestire include vestment, divest, and invest.

Synonyms

Noun

• caricature
• cartoon
• farce
• joke
• mockery
• parody
• sham

Verb

• burlesque
• caricature
• do
• imitate
• mimic
• mock
• parody
• send up
• spoof

Choose the Right Synonym for travesty

caricature, burlesque, parody, travesty mean a comic or grotesque imitation.

caricature implies ludicrous exaggeration of the characteristic features of a subject.

caricatures of politicians in cartoons

burlesque implies mockery especially through giving a serious or lofty subject a frivolous treatment.

a nightclub burlesque of a trial in court

parody applies especially to treatment of a trivial or ludicrous subject in the exactly imitated style of a well-known author or work.

a witty parody of a popular novel

travesty implies that the subject remains unchanged but that the style is extravagant or absurd.

this production is a travesty of the opera

Examples of travesty in a Sentence

Noun

It is a travesty and a tragedy that so many people would be denied the right to vote.

The trial was a travesty of justice.

Verb

this comedy sketch mindlessly travesties the hard work of relief workers around the world

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The coaching not instructing players on a concept as basic as that is as problematic as any of the physical travesties. —Steve Svekis, Sun Sentinel, 6 Oct. 2024

Tech accessories are no longer a fashion travesty—thanks to LaQuan Smith and Samsung. —Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 11 Sep. 2024

Verb

In 1933, the Marx Brothers mocked dictatorship with Duck Soup; three decades later, Kubrick and writer Terry Southern travestied the Bomb. —The New Republic, 22 June 2023

Readers may be tempted to side at one moment with the defenders of Jewish caution and Jewish sentiment, however their instincts are travestied, and soon afterward with Zuckerman’s principled view of the autonomy of art. —Cynthia Ozick, WSJ, 25 May 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

obsolete English travesty disguised, parodied, from French travesti, past participle of travestir to disguise, from Italian travestire, from tra- across (from Latin trans-) + vestire to dress, from Latin — more at vest entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1667, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

travesty

noun

trav·​es·​ty

ˈtrav-ə-stē

plural travesties

1

: an imitation that makes crude fun of something

2

: an inferior imitation or likeness

a travesty of justice

travesty verb