plural comedies
1
a
: a medieval narrative that ends happily
Dante's Divine Comedy
b
: a literary work written in a comic style or treating a comic theme
the ancient Roman comedies of Plautus
2
a
: a drama of light and amusing character and typically with a happy ending
a comedy about parenthood
b
: the genre of dramatic literature dealing with the comic or with the serious in a light or satirical manner compare tragedy
3
: a ludicrous or farcical event or series of events
a comedy of errors
4
a
: the comic element
the comedy of many life situations
b
: humorous entertainment
nightclub comedy
Examples of comedy in a Sentence
The new comedy is the network's most popular television show.
The movie includes a lot of physical comedy.
We couldn't help laughing out loud at the comedy of the situation.
Recent Examples on the Web
And the two stars, who at first seem to be playing in different registers with O’Hara launching her punchlines towards the balcony and Byrne aiming for the second row, harmonize to deliver a master class in physical comedy.
—
Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
And, no doubt, women in the original 1920s audience presumably had comparable lustful desires as the pair on stage; this was hardly the only Coward comedy of its era to be used for foreplay.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
This was hardly the only Coward comedy of its era to be used for foreplay.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
Staffers have described their days as a dark bureaucratic comedy.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comedy
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Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
And, no doubt, women in the original 1920s audience presumably had comparable lustful desires as the pair on stage; this was hardly the only Coward comedy of its era to be used for foreplay.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
This was hardly the only Coward comedy of its era to be used for foreplay.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
Staffers have described their days as a dark bureaucratic comedy.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comedy
Cite this Entry
“Comedy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comedy. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
comedy
noun
com·e·dy
ˈkäm-əd-ē 
plural comedies
1
: a light amusing play with a happy ending
2
: a comic literary work
3
a
: an amusing or ridiculous event
b
: humorous entertainment
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