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
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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
Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
The fact that John Ford — who any cinephile would consider one of the most important directors of all time — his final movie just looks like garbage is a travesty.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 24 Apr. 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
This is a travesty and reflects the images of a soldier being left behind in battle.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
The fact that John Ford — who any cinephile would consider one of the most important directors of all time — his final movie just looks like garbage is a travesty.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 24 Apr. 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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Ferrell's Ricky Bobby also serves as a pitch-perfect parody of the ego-driven, preening male protagonists of many a racing film.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
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Saturday Night Live's best car sketches, parodies and fake ads Who is in the Season 50 'SNL' cast?—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Their spoof of Donald Trump and Joe Biden bickering about who was the better golfer was conceived and recorded while the CNN presidential debate was still ongoing, and released immediately afterward.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
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Appealing to the kids Somehow, the Chargers and Colts ended up with the same approach of a Minecraft theme, and both making a spoof of the Rapoport-Schultz scuffle.—
Schuyler Dixon,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Read: The attack on trans rights won’t end there The impossible becoming possible is a hard thing to process—and easier to reject or mock than to understand.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
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Film director Wes Anderson mocked President Donald Trump over his plan to slap tariffs on foreign films made outside of the United States.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Noun
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The vibes are confusing, the itinerary is unclear, and Drew—ever the queen of chaos—jokes that naked bears might be involved.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
25 May 2025
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Think light beer, string lights, pizza, a cake with a callback to a joke from the show on it.—
Kelly Stout,
Rolling Stone,
25 May 2025
Verb
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At Cruise’s behest, McQuarrie’s stunts imitate the most primitive filmmaking — not the awe-inspiring magic of Georges Méliès but the Lumière brothers’ rudimentary documentation of action.—
Armond White,
National Review,
23 May 2025
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Walton imitated the big-box retail store and located them in small towns.—
Dileep Rao,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The real Reubens, who died of cancer at 70 in 2023, bore little resemblance to either of these caricatures.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 May 2025
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And just opposite the cashier is a caricature of each member of the 2023-24 Primeira Liga-winning Sporting squad.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The pair's journey on Teen Mom has shown what a year of struggling to get pregnant did to Cheyenne and Zach, both as individuals and as a married couple.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
23 May 2025
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But then, proving the impossible possible is what these films have done from the start.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been exposed as nothing more than a sham.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
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Despite a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia beginning May 8, Ukraine has rejected it as a sham.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Travesty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travesty. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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