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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, such events were popular church fundraisers, serving as both instruction in societal expectation for the children and comic relief for the adults. April White, JSTOR Daily, 16 June 2025 Before the dinner ends, Brit takes the last minutes of the episode to give us some comic relief with another cringeworthy moment. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 2 June 2025 Trawling through the bowels of the luxury resort, the prez has some allies with her (Manny, the Chinese First Lady, the spunky head of the International Monetary Fund) and some duds (Douglas Hodge as the British Prime Minister, cast here as a moron with some wonderful comic relief). Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2025 Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories Tony Martinez as Pepino Garcia Tony Martinez portrayed Pepino, the McCoys’ farmhand who often served as comic relief. Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 31 May 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Comic relief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comic%20relief. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on comic relief

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!