comedian

noun

co·​me·​di·​an kə-ˈmē-dē-ən 

1

archaic

a

: a writer of comedies

b

: an actor who plays comic roles

2

: a comical individual

specifically : a professional entertainer who uses any of various physical or verbal means to be amusing

Synonyms of comedian

• comic
• entertainer
• joker
• humorist
• wit
• funnyman
• clown

Examples of comedian in a Sentence

You'll like my friend. He's a real comedian.

struggled to eke out a living as a comedian in nightclubs

Recent Examples on the Web

The relationship ended abruptly with Common initiating the breakup over the phone, according to the comedian. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 13 Nov. 2025

This past year, the proud dad of 10 watched his son Eric marry fellow comedian Martin Lawrence’s daughter Jasmin, 29. —Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025

Goldberg's other cohost, Sunny Hostin, then revealed that the comedian had sent in a homemade lasagna for Goldberg's 70th birthday. —Edward Segarra, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025

News of the backlash comes as documentary feature John Cleese Packs It In, going behind the scenes of the actor and comedian’s recent 16-city and 23-show European tour, hits cinemas in the UK on November 13. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for comedian

• submedian
• paramedian

Kids Definition

comedian

noun

co·​me·​di·​an kə-ˈmēd-ē-ən 

1

: an actor who plays in comedy

2

: a comical individual

especially : a humorous professional entertainer