SATIRE Definition & Meaning

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satire

[ sat-ahyuhr ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, to expose, denounce, or deride the folly or corruption of institutions, people, or social structures:
The success of the production stems from its balance of affectionate comedy and well-observed satire.
a work of art, literature, or entertainment in which the folly and corruption of human beings, institutions, or social structures are exposed, denounced, or ridiculed:
The skit offended only those who didn’t recognize it as a political satire.
Did you notice that all the novels on her bookshelf were satires?
Synonyms: , , ,
a genre of literature, art, or entertainment comprising such works:
The eighteenth century is considered British literature’s golden age of satire.
Synonyms: , , ,

satire

/ ˈ��æ�ٲ�ɪə /

noun

a novel, play, entertainment, etc, in which topical issues, folly, or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony
the genre constituted by such works
the use of ridicule, irony, etc, to create such an effect

satire

A work of literature that mocks social conventions, another work of art, or anything its author thinks ridiculous. Gulliver's Travels , by Jonathan Swift , is a satire of eighteenth-century British society.

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Other �y��vlog Forms

�Դǲ�·��·�� noun

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of satire¹

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin satira, variant of satura “medley,” perhaps feminine derivative of satur “sated” ( saturate )

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of satire¹

C16: from Latin satira a mixture, from satur sated, from satis enough

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Compare Meanings

How does satire compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Synonym Study

See irony ¹. Satire, lampoon refer to literary forms in which vices or follies are ridiculed. Satire, the general term, often emphasizes the weakness more than the weak person, and usually implies moral judgment and corrective purpose: Swift's satire of human pettiness and bestiality. Lampoon refers to a form of satire, often political or personal, characterized by the malice or virulence of its attack: lampoons of the leading political figures.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Eating the rich has never been quite so putrid a task as watching “Death of a Unicorn,” a truly toothless satire that I’d struggle to even deem “half-baked.”

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He added the fact the video was intended as political satire but repurposed as “very compelling, visceral” propaganda by Trump highlighted the risk of AI-generated video.

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Where Ellis captured the 1980s through satire so dark it swallows all light, Courage does so for 2025.

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Kamra is a well-known name in the Indian comedy scene, with his political satire and stand-up shows getting millions of views on social media.

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“I was a little worried about that satire being in bad taste,” one of the co-authors, Cole Sugarman, told his classmates on Zoom.

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