funny bone

noun

1
: the place at the back of the elbow where the ulnar nerve rests against a prominence of the humerus
2
: a sense of humor

Example Sentences

I hit my funny bone on the edge of the table.
Recent Examples on the Web Even if high-fashion isn't your thing, watching the snark and snide fly in this office is sure to tickle your funny bone. Melissa Sherrard, EW.com, 6 Jan. 2023 This story is much more likely to break your heart than your funny bone. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2022 Tickle your funny bone: 75 side-splitting Halloween memes that'll keep you howling. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2022 But if none of these ideas quite tickles your funny bone, some clever word play via these pun Halloween costumes might be in order. Blair Donovan, Country Living, 20 Sep. 2022 During a 1972 appearance on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, Jackson showed off his funny bone. Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 29 Aug. 2022 Nothing tickles the funny bone, or works the mind, quite like a good riddle. Christina Montoya Fiedler, Good Housekeeping, 17 Aug. 2022 What tickles the funny bone or bruises the heart is subjective; so, too, is what chills the spine. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 10 June 2022 If dad has an envelope-pushing sense of humor, tickle his funny bone with a collection of cartoons rejected by The New Yorker — because they were judged too dumb, too weird, or too dirty. Alesandra Dubin, Woman's Day, 12 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'funny bone.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

from the tingling felt when it is struck

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of funny bone was in 1826

Dictionary Entries Near funny bone

Cite this Entry

“Funny bone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funny%20bone. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

funny bone

noun
1
: a place at the back of the elbow where a blow causes a painful tingling sensation
2
: a sense of humor
it tickled my funny bone

Medical Definition

funny bone

noun
fun·​ny bone ˈfən-ē-ˌ How to pronounce funny bone (audio)
: the place at the back of the elbow where the ulnar nerve rests against a prominence of the humerus

called also crazy bone

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!


A Good Old-Fashioned Quiz

Name That Thing

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY