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

In the privacy of the talent section, CBS anchor Gayle King gushed to Dimoldenberg and comedian Caleb Hearon, who stars as Charlie in the sequel. —Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 2026

On the heels of Fat Rascal, which premiered on Netflix in 2023, and amid work on Shane Gillis’ Netflix comedy series Tires, comedian Stavros Halkias has inked a deal with the streamer for another comedy special, titled Uncle Stav. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026

Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Martin Lawrence, Jennifer Hudson, Judge Reinhold, Tracy Morgan and Kenan Thompson were among the prominent entertainers, comedians and actors who stepped out to celebrate Murphy at AFI's event. —Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026

In a venue full of comedians, the mood at the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Eddie Murphy on Saturday, April 18, was surprisingly earnest. —Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 20 Apr. 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