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satire

satire

161 5.4
Writing or speech that uses funny, sharp words to show people's faults
  • noun
  • /ˈsætaɪr/
  • Literature
translation icon : sátira
  • The author wrote a sharp satire that mocked the fashion industry for its unrealistic standards.
  • political satire
  • humor and satire
  • ancient satire

So I think satire is the comedy of beliefs.

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Examples

  • Juvenal's satire, with its attack on those who live beyond their means, was also timely.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I think we can make a funny satire here, one people will remember.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • We wrote a bit once that was a satire of different things.

  • And yet we keep allowing it to continue to exist because the Internet loves satire like nothing else.

  • Political satire is one of the marks of a healthy society.

  • Yes, yes, it's definitely, I would say a historical satire about the rise of Catherine the Great.

  • And I always think satire is one of our strongest arrows in our democracy.

  • In fact, the introduction is a satire on the methods and assumptions of contemporary scholarship.

    Academic text (1999)
  • It's a fine line to be able to write political satire that works as humor even if you don't carry the politics into it.

  • Chief among Weldon's narrative strategies is her use of satire, and foremost among her targets is Western romantic love.

    Fiction book (1993)

Synonyms

sarcasm
vssatire
109 3.9

A way of saying the opposite to make fun of someone or show you dislike them

uses humor irony or ridicule to criticize institutions or behaviors
mockery
vssatire
66 4.9

Making fun of someone or something by copying them to make others laugh

uses humor irony or ridicule to expose foolishness or bad traits
derision
vssatire
  • Offensive
17 7.9

Laughing at or making fun of someone to show you do not respect them

aims to expose or criticize faults using humor or irony

Antonyms

161 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

37 4.7

Praise people give without meaning it to get something from someone

How Critical

satire
  • Literature
161 5.4
parodic
1 7.7

Surface Forms

satire singular
satires plural

Etymology

Satire comes from the Latin satura, which meant a 'mixture' or 'medley'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of satire as a mix of humor, irony and mockery that points out foolishness or bad behaviour, which is why the word now means humorous criticism.