lampoon
Say it: lam-POON /lamˈpuːn/ · verb
What “lampoon” means
Publicly make fun of someone through sharp comic exaggeration.
More precisely: To publicly mock or ridicule someone through satire.
Example: “The cartoonist lampooned the mayor as a pigeon fighting over chips.”
When to use it
Use it when a cartoon, sketch or other public work mocks someone's faults through an exaggerated comic portrayal.
Similar words
satirise, mock, send up
Where it comes from
From French lampon, possibly from lampons, 'let us drink'.
Quick check
A public sketch portrays a pompous fictional councillor demanding applause whenever he opens an umbrella. What does it aim to do?
lampoon or praise?
Show the answer
lampoon
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