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a sketch or drawing, usually humorous, as in a newspaper or periodical, symbolizing, satirizing, or caricaturing some action, subject, or person of popular interest.
comic strip.
animated cartoon.
Fine Arts. a full-scale design for a picture, ornamental motif or pattern, or the like, to be transferred to a fresco, tapestry, etc.
resembling a cartoon or caricature:
The novel is full of predictable, cartoon characters, never believable as real people.
to represent by a cartoon.
to draw cartoons.
Contemporary Examples

For all the cartoonish antics of The Office, the brilliance of it was that none of its characters were cartoons.
‘The Office’ Used to Be a Great Show. No, Really! See Proof (VIDEO) Kevin Fallon May 13, 2013

Playful and gory, the cartoonish paintings of Dee Dee Ramone, bassist for The Ramones, are every bit as shocking as their creator.
‘All Good Cretins Go to Heaven’: Dee Dee Ramone’s Twisted Punk Paintings Melissa Leon December 14, 2014

As pioneers of experiential art, the duo wanted to blur the lines between reality and cartoonish fantasy.
New York City’s New Mystery Art Piece Sara Sayed September 21, 2014

While obviously not as cartoonish as the deluded leaders in The Office, du Pont seemed to stretch credulity at times.
Channing Tatum Is the Real Star of ‘Foxcatcher’ Nico Hines October 22, 2014

Unlike the Second World War, the heroes and villains are not clear, perhaps because they are not as cartoonish or deranged.
War Horse Rides to Broadway Lawrence Osborne April 15, 2011

But the problems with the presentation go beyond the cartoonish chart.
How Bibi Messed Up His Bomb Chart Ali Gharib September 26, 2012

It would have been all too easy, as early episodes threatened, to make Red as cartoonish as a Joel Schumacher Batman villain.
‘The Blacklist’ Is Dead Without the Psychotic Red Jason Lynch March 30, 2014

The Smithy character, played by Dustin Ybarra, is so cartoonish as to be off-putting rather than gleefully adolescent.
Fall-Winter TV Preview: Snap Judgments of 2013–14’s New Shows Jace Lacob, Kevin Fallon July 15, 2013

It sits firmly on the side of the cartoonish—reveling in it is okay.
A Study in Xbox One Violence: Dead Rising 3 Vs. Ryse: Son of Rome Alec Kubas-Meyer November 30, 2013

Lamy later made appearances in the cartoonish Dujardin film vehicles Brice de Nice (2005) and Lucky Luke (2009).
Jean Dujardin, Oscar-Winner for ‘The Artist,’ Debuts New Sex Comedy Tracy McNicoll February 28, 2012

adjective
like a cartoon, esp in being one-dimensional, brightly coloured, or exaggerated
noun
a humorous or satirical drawing, esp one in a newspaper or magazine, concerning a topical event
Also called comic strip. a sequence of drawings in a newspaper, magazine, etc, relating a comic or adventurous situation
See animated cartoon
a full-size preparatory sketch for a fresco, tapestry, mosaic, etc, from which the final work is traced or copied
n.

1670s, “a drawing on strong paper (used as a model for another work),” from French carton, from Italian cartone “strong, heavy paper, pasteboard,” thus “preliminary sketches made by artists on such paper” (see carton). Extension to comical drawings in newspapers and magazines is 1843.

Punch has the benevolence to announce, that in an early number of his ensuing Volume he will astonish the Parliamentary Committee by the publication of several exquisite designs, to be called Punch’s Cartoons! [“Punch,” June 24, 1843]

Also see -oon.

v.

1864 (implied in cartooned), from cartoon (n.). Related: Cartooning.