gallows humor
noun
: humor that makes fun of a life-threatening, disastrous, or terrifying situation
Examples of gallows humor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Drake raps about guns with the glee of getting away with gunplay while his rhyme partner veers on a dime from trauma to gallows humor.
—
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Moments of levity early in the film, as when the protagonists engage in gallows humor, become increasingly rare as the Kremlin cracks down on independent news media and scattered anti-war demonstrations in the streets.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Dec. 2025
Even the doomed Predator gets to laugh before the end credits, albeit with a generous dollop of gallows humor.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 19 Nov. 2025
His self-reflection was ultimately triumphant, but kept the tone that endeared him to his fans over the years: a familiar mix of wry self-awareness and gallows humor.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gallows humor
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Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Moments of levity early in the film, as when the protagonists engage in gallows humor, become increasingly rare as the Kremlin cracks down on independent news media and scattered anti-war demonstrations in the streets.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Dec. 2025
Even the doomed Predator gets to laugh before the end credits, albeit with a generous dollop of gallows humor.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 19 Nov. 2025
His self-reflection was ultimately triumphant, but kept the tone that endeared him to his fans over the years: a familiar mix of wry self-awareness and gallows humor.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gallows humor
Cite this Entry
“Gallows humor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gallows%20humor. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.
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