risible

adjective

ris·​i·​ble ˈri-zə-bəl How to pronounce risible (audio)
1
a
: capable of laughing
b
: disposed to laugh
2
: arousing or provoking laughter
especially : laughable
3
: associated with, relating to, or used in laughter
risible muscles
risibly adverb

Did you know?

If someone makes a ridiculous remark about your risible muscles, they are not necessarily deriding your physique. Risible can also mean "associated with laughter," so risible muscles can simply be the ones used for laughing. (You've also got a set of risorius muscles around your mouth that help you smile.) Next time you find something laughable, tip your hat to ridēre, the Latin verb meaning "to laugh" that gave us risible as well as ridiculous and deride.

Examples of risible in a Sentence

The suggestion was downright risible. a risible comment that made the whole class laugh
Recent Examples on the Web President Volodymyr Zelensky has put the toll at thirty-one thousand, but that figure is risible—the real number is much higher. Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024 Having become frivolous, vainglorious, and suicidal, the Republican Party is on the verge of super-gluing itself to its risible liability of a perma-candidate for the eighth year in a row. Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023 Yet Trump’s latest bit of performative amnesia is perhaps his most risible. Christian Schneider, National Review, 11 Jan. 2024 The idea that a President DeSantis could somehow be a more dangerously illiberal figure than Trump seems risible after watching both of them campaign. Ross Douthat, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2024 Her contemporaries found the performance at once irresistible and risible. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023 Normally, in the wake of a record-setting 65-win, 135-point season, the idea of a bold retool would seem risible and unnecessary. Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 6 May 2023 In sitcom terms, The Mary Tyler Moore Show was never so dishonest, so low-key hostile, or so risible. Armond White, National Review, 13 Oct. 2023 The success of these films would lead to something a bit more risible from Silberg: 1985’s Rappin’, starring Mario Van Peebles, dubbed over by Ice-T and Master Gee of the Sugarhill Gang (whose younger brother starred in the film). Nicholas Bell, Spin, 16 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'risible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin risibilis, from Latin risus, past participle of ridēre to laugh

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of risible was in 1557

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Dictionary Entries Near risible

Cite this Entry

“Risible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/risible. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

risible

adjective
ris·​i·​ble ˈriz-ə-bəl How to pronounce risible (audio)
1
: able to laugh
2
: arousing laughter : funny
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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