satire
n. C / Un. a way of using humor, irony, or exaggeration to make fun of people's foolishness or bad behavior. You often see it in shows or articles that criticize politicians or society.
n. the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize human folly, vice, or societal shortcomings. It frequently targets political figures or contemporary issues to provoke reflection.
The movie is a clever satire about the fashion industry.
The late-night comedy show uses sharp satire to point out the hypocrisy of current political leaders.
By exaggerating the bureaucratic absurdities of the corporate world, the novel functions as a biting satire that forces readers to confront their own complicity in the system.
From Middle French satire, from Old French, from Latin satira, from earlier satura, from lanx satura (“full dish”), from feminine of satur. Altered in Latin by influence of Ancient Greek σάτυρος (sáturos, “satyr”), on the mistaken notion that the form is related to the Greek σατυρικὸν δράμα (saturikòn dráma, “satyr drama”).
Uncountable when referring to the genre or technique; countable when referring to a specific literary or artistic work. Frequently collocates with adjectives like 'biting', 'sharp', or 'political'.