plural cartoons
1
: a preparatory design, drawing, or painting (as for a fresco)
2
a
: a drawing intended as satire, caricature, or humor
a political cartoon
a cartoon drawing
b
: a group of drawings in narrative sequence : comic strip
3
: a video (such as a television show or movie) that is made from a series of drawings, computer graphics, or photographs of inanimate objects (such as puppets) and that simulates movement by slight progressive changes in each frame : animated cartoon
4
: a ludicrously simplistic, unrealistic, or one-dimensional portrayal or version
The film's villain is an entertaining cartoon.
cartoon
verb
cartoonishly
adverb
Examples of cartoon in a Sentence
She enjoys reading the cartoons in the Sunday paper.
The kids are watching cartoons.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hall Syndicate signed him to a deal, and his cartoons began appearing all over the U.S. Feiffer had become an important voice in the day’s events.
—
Chris Koseluk, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2025
Research by political scientist Robert Putnam, referenced in the Netflix documentary Join or Die—named after Franklin’s famous 1754 segmented snake cartoon—shows that civic engagement—whether through joining a club or participating in community organizations—builds trust and strengthens democracy.
—Michael Sheldrick, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
More weekend science competitions, fewer Saturday morning cartoons.
—Ed O'Keefe, CBS News, 17 Jan. 2025
Pandora, like its cartoon counterpart, will be largely used by young scientists like graduate students and research fellows.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cartoon 
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Chris Koseluk, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2025
Research by political scientist Robert Putnam, referenced in the Netflix documentary Join or Die—named after Franklin’s famous 1754 segmented snake cartoon—shows that civic engagement—whether through joining a club or participating in community organizations—builds trust and strengthens democracy.
—Michael Sheldrick, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
More weekend science competitions, fewer Saturday morning cartoons.
—Ed O'Keefe, CBS News, 17 Jan. 2025
Pandora, like its cartoon counterpart, will be largely used by young scientists like graduate students and research fellows.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cartoon
Dictionary Entries Near cartoon
Cite this Entry
“Cartoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cartoon. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cartoon
noun
car·toon
kär-ˈtün 
1
: a design, drawing, or painting made as a model for the finished work
2
a
: a drawing intended as a humorous comment on public affairs
b
3
Etymology
from Italian cartone "pasteboard, a sketch of a planned drawing or painting done on heavy paper," from carta "sheet of paper," from Latin charta "piece of papyrus" — related to card entry 3, carton
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