hilarity

noun

hi·​lar·​i·​ty hi-ˈler-ə-tē How to pronounce hilarity (audio)
hī-
: boisterous merriment or laughter

Examples of hilarity in a Sentence

My attempt to carve the turkey was a source of great hilarity at the dinner table. hilarity is the last thing you expect to find at a funeral, but we were there to celebrate his life rather than to dwell on his death
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In this case, the woman's blunt admission quickly struck a chord with fellow TikTok users, who shared in both the shock and hilarity of the moment. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025 Those of us who grew up with ESPN as our easy companion will miss the days of independence, honesty and hilarity. Laura Gentile, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2025 The reader bobs along in the author’s stream of consciousness, riding crests of despair, anger, and hilarity as Toews assembles the shards of her past to investigate her will to write, which is deeply entwined with her will to live. Kristen Martin, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2025 The reporters burst out into laughter, too, recognizing the hilarity of Danna being the one to deliver the team’s first message about the major pop culture news of the day — perhaps even the year. Sean Neumann, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hilarity

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hilarity was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Hilarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hilarity. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

hilarity

noun
hi·​lar·​i·​ty hil-ˈar-ət-ē How to pronounce hilarity (audio)
-ˈer-;
hī-ˈlar-,
-ˈler-
: noisy fun

More from Merriam-Webster on hilarity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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