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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Recent Examples of travesty
Mike Davis, The Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2025
Currently, not every state provides free lunch for all students, which is nothing short of a travesty.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 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
The Justice Department, however, can and must hold those responsible for this travesty accountable to the maximum legal extent.
—Mike Davis, The Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2025
Currently, not every state provides free lunch for all students, which is nothing short of a travesty.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 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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This semester's show is a musical parody of Love Island called Love on an Island.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
So Far Kilmer’s career spanned nearly four decades, starting with his first movie in 1984, the absurd joke-a-minute World War II parody Top Secret!, from the knuckleheads that created the comedy classic Airplane!—
John DeVore,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Plot details for The Naked Gun are being kept under wraps, but like the first three movies, viewers can expect a cop spoof filled with ridiculous sight gags.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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Beginning in the ‘30s and really hitting their stride in the glorious color animation of the ‘40s and ‘50s, the Warner Bros. cartoons have certainly stretched the bounds of what’s possible in 8-11 minutes, from full opera spoofs to fourth-wall-breaking experiments.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Now mock drafts expect the Seahawks will try to improve their offensive line or add another wide receiver for Darnold.—
Jim Sergent,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2025
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And my wife would probably mock me for not getting meat, or something else.—
Thomas Wheatley,
Axios,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, Corden, as the event’s emcee, made some uncomfortable jokes about the Dow dropping 2200 points last Friday.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2025
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These jokes referenced economic news of the past week.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Emmy-winning actor Paul Walter Hauser, the lead of game show drama The Luckiest Man in America, came close to life imitating art and being a contestant himself.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Brando acted with an ice-bucket on his head, imitated the Queen of England in his line readings and performed bongos at the wrap party while wearing a muumuu.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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These caricatures are amusing, but nothing compared to when President Dutton finally has to strap up and blow away mercenaries like Rambo.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Pottery making, caricature illustrations, and other creative installations will also be available.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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No matter your best intentions, the fact remains that styles change, as do our tastes.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2025
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Due to the lack of upsets, Johnny Avello, an oddsmaker at DraftKings, said the bettor has done will this year due to a popular trend.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The votes were widely viewed as a sham and heavily criticized by the US at the time as well as by allies in Europe.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN,
24 Mar. 2025
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Six elections since have been widely dismissed as shams that concealed rising discontent.—
Nataliya Vasilyeva,
New York Times,
25 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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