1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
rigged from the start, his trial was a travesty of justice
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spoof
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
the big-screen version of the classic sitcom is actually a good-natured travesty of the TV series
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to parody
to copy or exaggerate (someone or something) in order to make fun of
this comedy sketch mindlessly travesties the hard work of relief workers around the world
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of travesty
Christmaelle Vernet & Kathy Roberts Forde / Made By History, TIME, 28 Feb. 2025
Unless Johnson shocks everyone and joins Pritzker et al. in telling CTU the truth, Chicago has the unprecedented misfortune of not even having a mayor representing taxpayer interests in this travesty.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for travesty
Noun
In 1923, the Court ruled that the trial of the Elaine Twelve had been a travesty of due process and justice under mob rule.
—Christmaelle Vernet & Kathy Roberts Forde / Made By History, TIME, 28 Feb. 2025
Unless Johnson shocks everyone and joins Pritzker et al. in telling CTU the truth, Chicago has the unprecedented misfortune of not even having a mayor representing taxpayer interests in this travesty.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for travesty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for travesty
Noun
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During the March 8 episode of the late-night comedy sketch series, which saw Lady Gaga pull double duty as the host and the musical guest, Myers, 61, reprised his parody of the Tesla CEO during the show's Cold Open, after doing the same last weekend.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
9 Mar. 2025
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Next up, a Midnight Matinee, one of the digital shorts written by Dan Bulla, seemingly a Stuart Little-style parody where Gaga once again sings, this time at the piano.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The actor, who originally starred on SNL from 1989 to 1995, appeared as the tech billionaire — and head of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — in a spoof of Trump’s heated Feb. 28 White House exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
2 Mar. 2025
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Olive Sturgess, who appeared on about two dozen TV Westerns and got to act alongside Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and Jack Nicholson in the Roger Corman 1963 cult horror spoof The Raven, died Feb. 19, her family announced.—
Mike Barnes,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Musk has mocked Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, repeatedly since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022.—
Lily Hay Newman,
WIRED,
11 Mar. 2025
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The Vice President’s face has been subject to mock meme edits for several months, as political commentators used editing tools to exaggerate his features and create child-like caricatures.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Conan O'Brien Named Host Of The 2025 Oscars By Megan Cartwright Deputy Entertainment Editor Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 0 Conan O'Brien revealed on his podcast that part of his Oscars promo joke was cut by the Academy.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
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Kimmel’s feud with Damon, meanwhile, is an ongoing joke that began when Jimmy Kimmel Live was in its early years.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Munn shared that the motion is a fidget of Mulaney's that Malcolm has learned to imitate.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
12 Mar. 2025
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Younger narwhals also tended to imitate the behavior of older ones, indicating that social learning could influence how narwhals use their tusks, according to the study.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Aduba holds everything together with a deft turn, refusing to let Cordelia Cupp’s on-paper oddities ever become a caricature.—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Mar. 2025
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Questions about whether making a movie in which little people are treated like retrograde caricatures was a cool thing to do in this day and age.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Then Sterling did some less effective things and got suspended anyway, so that mad idea was, at least, parked for the time being.—
Amy Lawrence,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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However, once the exchange went viral, his bosses urged him to do so on ESPN First Take, which Smith lead as talent and executive producer.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Color choices include oatmeal, cream, and silver – and the shams are sold separately.—
Terri Williams,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
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Extended deterrence was a sham, and the people who relied on it were suckers.—
Gideon Rose,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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