lampoon
/lamˈpuːn
/verb [with object]
Publicly criticize (someone or something) by using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm: the actor was lampooned by the press...
- Punch, the satirical magazine that lampooned the establishment for more than 150 years, has closed.
- He was taken by the idea of lampooning the soaps, but was ultimately more interested in satirizing our celebrity-obsessed culture.
- This man's boldness-or foolhardiness-has been lampooned in the press and joked about all over the world.
Synonyms
satirize, mock, ridicule, make fun of, poke fun at, caricature, burlesque, parody, take off, guy, make a fool of, rag, tease
informal send up
rare pasquinade
noun
A speech or text lampooning someone or something: the magazine fired at God, Royalty, and politicians, using cartoons and lampoons...
- In one hour, he takes on 50 different caricatures in a flurry of bright-coloured paper cut-outs, all of them elaborate, exaggerated lampoons of familiar icons, moving from one to another like a human flick-book.
- The result was a wacky lampoon featuring dolls, newspapers, and rolls of tape.
- An early example of this was Bizarre, a show that seemed intent on shocking, not least by a liberal sprinkling of the f-word in its irreverent sketches and lampoons.
Synonyms
satire, burlesque, parody, skit, caricature, imitation, impersonation, impression, travesty, take-off, mockery, squib
informal send-up, spoof
rare pasquinade
Derivatives
lampooner
/ noun ...- He could almost have written the hymn himself - about himself - the lampooners are saying.
- I can't wait for the lampooners to go to town on his lower lip-swivelling characteristics.
- Similarly as a lyricist and polemicist he was both a consistent critic of corporate capitalism (in particular ‘the culture industry’ and organised religion) and a very spiky lampooner of new social movements.
lampoonery
- On the show he still refused to play the game, refused to step out of role, to relax into Ross's spree of commentary and lampoonery.
- But some apt political lampoonery, a dash of adroit physical comedy, a pinch of puppetry and a few saucy tunes give Insanity Fair some entertaining moments.
- Unfortunately, there's no time for lampoonery as the teams and their mascots click-clack out of the tunnel and line up on either side of the match officials.
lampoonist
/ noun ...- Satire can be as cruel as it likes: cartoonists, lampoonists, Spitting Image - whatever.
- His apotheosis as a political lampoonist is to be found in what is considered to be by many the best Marx Brothers movie: Duck Soup.
Origin
Mid 17th century: from French lampon, said to be from lampons 'let us drink' (used as a refrain), from lamper 'gulp down', nasalized form of laper 'to lap (liquid)'.
The source of English lampoon meaning ‘publicly criticize by using ridicule or irony’ is French lampon. This is said to be from the refrain of popular French drinking songs in the 1600s lampons ‘let us drink!’, from lamper ‘gulp down’.