comic relief

noun

: a relief from the emotional tension especially of a drama that is provided by the interposition of a comic episode or element

Examples of comic relief in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Greg Medavoy was a routine source of comic relief across 12 seasons. Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026 Cretton explained that he was drawn to Trevor Slattery due to the depth that Kingsley brought to character that otherwise could have just been comic relief. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 15 June 2026 Other surprising moments came with appearances by LeBron James, Travis Scott, Ted Lasso and Channing Tatum, all of which provide some comic relief in the film. Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 4 June 2026 Tharmarajah provides a great balance of comic relief and utter poignance, explaining his survival techniques as an orphan, carving out a pragmatic path in life leading to a particular kind of soaring. David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for comic relief

Word History

First Known Use

1783, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of comic relief was in 1783

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Cite this Entry

“Comic relief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comic%20relief. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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