gallows humor
noun
: humor that makes fun of a life-threatening, disastrous, or terrifying situation
Examples of gallows humor in a Sentence
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But this modest, resourceful exercise in gallows humor can’t be faulted for not sticking to its guns.
—
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
In the process, Stan becomes the unlikely figurehead for a grassroots campaign to uncover all sorts of uncomfortable truths and find power in community, driven by the local brand of heart, determination and a big portion of gallows humor.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
The joyous gallows humor and horror-movie commentary of old are gone, and some inspired working-in of new technology falls apart.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026
And after another Grand Slam final loss in Melbourne Saturday night, the pain of the experience was clear in the gallows humor of the trophy ceremony.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
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Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
In the process, Stan becomes the unlikely figurehead for a grassroots campaign to uncover all sorts of uncomfortable truths and find power in community, driven by the local brand of heart, determination and a big portion of gallows humor.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
The joyous gallows humor and horror-movie commentary of old are gone, and some inspired working-in of new technology falls apart.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026
And after another Grand Slam final loss in Melbourne Saturday night, the pain of the experience was clear in the gallows humor of the trophy ceremony.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
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 18 Mar. 2026.
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