Caricatured

To **caricature** means to represent or imitate the qualities or features of a person or thing in a distorted or exaggerated way, often for comedic or satirical effect. This exaggeration typically highlights specific traits, flaws, or characteristics, making them more prominent and easily recognizable. It can be applied to visual art (like drawings or sculptures), literature, performances, and even to how one perceives or describes situations or ideas. The intent is often to critique, satirize, or simply amuse through this distortion, but can also simply exaggerate to make a point about a thing or person.

Caricatured meaning with examples

• The political cartoonist Caricatured the president by drawing him with a comically large nose and a ridiculously oversized top hat, exaggerating his perceived arrogance. The artist knew this extreme exaggeration would elicit a laugh while also drawing attention to a perceived aspect of his leadership. The effectiveness of this caricature lay in its ability to quickly convey a complex opinion about a person.
• During the play, the actor deliberately Caricatured the stuffy professor, mimicking his stiff posture and pretentious accent. The actor chose to really exaggerate his movements and speech to create an extreme interpretation that was funny to watch. The audience roared with laughter, as they were immediately in on his depiction.
• The author skillfully Caricatured the societal obsession with social media by creating characters whose lives revolved around likes and followers. Their writing exaggerated these characteristics to make a pointed statement. Through the distorted lens of his caricature, readers understood the absurdity of constantly trying to get recognition.
• Her performance at the conference Caricatured the typical overly enthusiastic salesperson, using exaggerated gestures and relentless positivity. Her deliberate exaggeration, even if it was perceived to be annoying, effectively pointed out how repetitive the sales speech was. The conference attendees got the point very quickly from the funny representation.
• The artist's sculpture Caricatured the familiar pose of a famous athlete, bending over to catch his breath, but added ridiculously large muscles and a tiny head. Through this exaggerated juxtaposition of forms and sizes the artist was able to draw out the athlete's traits.