as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner
humorless people who can't see the lighter side of life
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Recent Examples of humorless
Credit perhaps goes to Belew’s fellowship with Zappa, or Fripp’s growing resistance to being pegged as some humorless tyrant.
—
Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 11 Jan. 2026
Funny novels are invariably more serious than humorless ones.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In Prime 4, Samus is humorless, simply nodding along while others try their best at second-rate comedy.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2025
The woman’s gray hair, her sunglasses, her sharp nose, her soft chin, and her utterly humorless expression contrasted with the almost cartoonish proportion of her political expression.
—Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humorless
Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 11 Jan. 2026
Funny novels are invariably more serious than humorless ones.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In Prime 4, Samus is humorless, simply nodding along while others try their best at second-rate comedy.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2025
The woman’s gray hair, her sunglasses, her sharp nose, her soft chin, and her utterly humorless expression contrasted with the almost cartoonish proportion of her political expression.
—Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humorless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humorless
Adjective
-
The site now a solemn memorial.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Dec. 2025
-
The Constitution vests the executive with the power—and indeed the solemn duty—to repel threats, protect commerce, and secure the nation against those who would do it harm.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Officials warned that flying debris could pose a serious threat to anyone without shelter, with damage to roofs, windows and vehicles likely, along with significant tree damage.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
-
For serious depression, anxiety, self-harm or suicidal thoughts, a delay in treatment matters a lot.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fold-down stern platforms create more than 50 square feet of additional usable space at anchor.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
16 June 2026
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The photo shows both the bow and the stern sections under construction.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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In the clip, Josie has a serious, unsmiling expression, which created a humorous contrast with the celebratory scene around her.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
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So much for my unsmiling open mouth in my 2026 passport photo.—
Paul Keane,
Hartford Courant,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This is a charmingly earnest and ramshackle movie that touches emotional areas that many rom-coms don't.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
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But Hegseth’s behavior is not the endearing corniness that comes spontaneously from an overly earnest person trying to express great emotion.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Humorless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humorless. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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