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

Around the same time, other prominent national comedians relocated from both Los Angeles and New York. —Bill Gurley, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026

But the comedian's mellowed out as he's gotten older, as evidenced by his new Netflix series, This is a Gardening Show. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Apr. 2026

Leib is a comedian, TV writer, podcaster and cultural journalist who has, to date, never worn cabbage as a hat. —Rebecca Leib, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026

For over 30 years, Tom Drake has performed as a stand-up comedian on many of the world’s cruise lines. —Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026

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