farcical
adjective
far·ci·cal
ˈfär-si-kəl 
1
: of, relating to, or resembling farce (see farce entry 1 sense 1a) : ludicrous
the farcical parts of comedies
2
: laughably inept : absurd
farcical high jinks
Synonyms
Examples of farcical in a Sentence
the farcical behavior of the troupe of circus clowns
the farcical routine that a person has to go through to get a refund from that company
Recent Examples on the Web
There are millions of people around the world who are not allowed to vote, or whose elections are so corrupt and farcical that voting is pointless.
—
Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2023
Merry Me has that, and with Silverman — whose smart, farcical staging prompts the kind of robust laughter at which the play itself sometimes swings and misses — the excellent ensemble keeps the beach ball of the show up in the air, even when the ball itself deflates.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2023
Apart from a focus on farcical situations – with worried citizens stocking up on live chickens when faced with empty shelves in the shops – Wolski will also show the brutality of that time.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 31 Oct. 2023
He’s been given the farcical title Deputy-for-the-Colored.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
His production, built for speed and farcical flamboyance, threatens to spin out of control but keeps its eye on the prize of social justice.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2023
Smith renders Ainsworth, as well as his contemporaries Dickens and Thackeray, as largely farcical.
—Lynn Steger Strong, The New Republic, 15 Sep. 2023
But even that number doesn’t quite capture its almost farcical grandeur.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 1 Sep. 2023
Any argument that football players are mere student-athletes after the Los Angeles and Pacific Northwest schools chased the cash and joined the Big Ten seems farcical, at least from a legal standpoint.
—Jon Wilner | , oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2023
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Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2023
Merry Me has that, and with Silverman — whose smart, farcical staging prompts the kind of robust laughter at which the play itself sometimes swings and misses — the excellent ensemble keeps the beach ball of the show up in the air, even when the ball itself deflates.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2023
Apart from a focus on farcical situations – with worried citizens stocking up on live chickens when faced with empty shelves in the shops – Wolski will also show the brutality of that time.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 31 Oct. 2023
He’s been given the farcical title Deputy-for-the-Colored.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2023
His production, built for speed and farcical flamboyance, threatens to spin out of control but keeps its eye on the prize of social justice.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2023
Smith renders Ainsworth, as well as his contemporaries Dickens and Thackeray, as largely farcical.
—Lynn Steger Strong, The New Republic, 15 Sep. 2023
But even that number doesn’t quite capture its almost farcical grandeur.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 1 Sep. 2023
Any argument that football players are mere student-athletes after the Los Angeles and Pacific Northwest schools chased the cash and joined the Big Ten seems farcical, at least from a legal standpoint.
—Jon Wilner | , oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'farcical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1710, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near farcical
Cite this Entry
“Farcical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farcical. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on farcical
Nglish: Translation of farcical for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of farcical for Arabic Speakers
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