satire

SA-tire

meaning in plain English

A way of making fun of something serious to show how silly or wrong it is, often to get people to change their minds.

Picture a clown reading a serious news article—satire makes the serious look silly so we rethink it.

for example

The cartoon was pure satire, mocking politicians so sharply that everyone laughed even as they got the point.

Imagine a comedian pretending to praise a bad rule so obviously that the audience can’t help but see how ridiculous it is—that’s satire. Why would anyone bother dressing up a serious problem in jokes? Because sometimes the truth stings less when it’s wrapped in humor.