hilarious
adjective
Synonyms
Examples of hilarious in a Sentence
James Morris, Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2005
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tim Burton's adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved (by children) and reviled (by critics and librarians) book, is quirky, well acted, often hilarious, and visually sumptuous, but don't go to it expecting sweetness in anything except the title.
—Richard Alleva, Commonweal, 12 Aug. 2005
In fairness, McEnroe does have genuine passion for the game, and his willingness to take on the sport's sacred cows is admirable. His candor and hilarious random ruminations as an analyst make even the most lopsided matches worth watching.
—Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated, 17 Sept. 2001
Since his material is genuinely funny, at times hilarious, it makes for a smashing use of audio as a unique entertainment medium. Sedaris has an unexpectedly high-pitched voice that comes across as majorly mischievous in its delivery …
—Publishers Weekly, 5 May 1997
Some people don't like his comedy, but I think he's hilarious.
She gave us a hilarious account of her first days as a teacher.
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
The rear seats cocoon occupants in plush blue leather seats, and the Apollo’s reading lamps look like a hilarious afterthought, but are also somehow mid-century modern chic.
—Logan Carter / Jalopnik, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024
During a conversation at a kitchen table over restaurant health inspection grades, the pair breaks into an argument about whose water glass is whose — which leads to a hilarious fictional reason behind the tour postponement.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Friends read him with hilarious ferocity, serious moments are punctured by horny Grindr notifications, and the whole enterprise is enlivened by Carmichael’s quick, contrarian wit.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2024
Olivia Rodrigo just got the ultimate seal of approval for her hilarious re-creation of Nicole Kidman’s beloved AMC Theaters commercial.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 28 Mar. 2024
Iago, based on the parrot voiced by Gilbert Godfrey in the 1992 movie, is now played by the hilarious Aaron Choi -- who never failed to get big laughs from the packed house last night.
—Monica Hooper, arkansasonline.com, 27 Mar. 2024
Olivia Colman is known for her hilarious non sequiturs.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
As her family intervene, setting her up on a series of increasingly desperate blind dates, Pia begins a hilarious but heartfelt quest for real love.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hilarious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
irregular from Latin hilarus, hilaris cheerful, from Greek hilaros
circa 1840, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near hilarious
Cite this Entry
“Hilarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hilarious. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
hilarious
adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on hilarious
Nglish: Translation of hilarious for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of hilarious for Arabic Speakers
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