hilarity

noun

hi·​lar·​i·​ty hi-ˈler-ə-tē 

hī-

: boisterous merriment or laughter

Synonyms

• glee
• cheerfulness
• merriness
• festivity
• cheer

Examples of hilarity in a Sentence

My attempt to carve the turkey was a source of great hilarity at the dinner table.

hilarity is the last thing you expect to find at a funeral, but we were there to celebrate his life rather than to dwell on his death

Recent Examples on the Web

Patti LaBelle and Fantasia will soon face off on Celebrity Family Feud, and Billboard has an exclusive look at some of the hilarity viewers can expect. —Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 23 July 2025

What was revealed amidst all the hilarity and chaos was someone who was authentically himself and beloved by his family for it. —Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025

The film is a marvel, with a cornucopia of inventive gags and a story that captures the heartbreak and hilarity of growing up. —Barry Levitt, Time, 26 June 2025

Her understanding of how to set up payoffs with hilarity or heartache gives the show its powers. —David John Chávez, Mercury News, 22 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hilarity

• alterity
• asperity
• austerity
• celerity
• dexterity
• disparity
• molarity
• planarity
• polarity
• posterity
• prosperity
• severity

Kids Definition

hilarity

noun

hi·​lar·​i·​ty hil-ˈar-ət-ē 

-ˈer-;

hī-ˈlar-,

-ˈler-

: noisy fun