1
as in witty
given to or marked by mature intelligent humor
the essay is a facetious commentary on the absurdity of war as a solution for international disputes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred
a facetious and tasteless remark about people in famine-stricken countries being spared the problem of overeating
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of facetious
Huff had one quarterback pressure Sunday (being facetious).
—
Matt Barrows, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
To be facetious, how many of those people who committed mass murder in the fifth largest city in America went to death row?
—Dave Zirin, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
At first, Yellow Face offers a facetious and overly complicated panorama, shuffling Daniel Dae Kim’s glibly intellectual DHH and Francis Jue’s heartfelt HYH among the Asian, black, and white supporting actors who portray various egotistic New York professionals.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
In the 30-second ad, 314 Action presented Kennedy’s swim in Rock Creek as absurd, posting it next to two facetious headlines saying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered drone strikes from a steam bath and another saying Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shot and killed another dog.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for facetious
Matt Barrows, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
To be facetious, how many of those people who committed mass murder in the fifth largest city in America went to death row?
—Dave Zirin, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
At first, Yellow Face offers a facetious and overly complicated panorama, shuffling Daniel Dae Kim’s glibly intellectual DHH and Francis Jue’s heartfelt HYH among the Asian, black, and white supporting actors who portray various egotistic New York professionals.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
In the 30-second ad, 314 Action presented Kennedy’s swim in Rock Creek as absurd, posting it next to two facetious headlines saying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered drone strikes from a steam bath and another saying Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shot and killed another dog.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for facetious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facetious
Adjective
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There’s also good dialogue—witty and world-building, instead of merely expository.—
Ian Mackenzie,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
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Pressure is directed by Hotel Mumbai’s Anthony Maras, and as adapted with David Haig from the latter’s stage play, it’s structured as a sharp ticking-clock thriller while surprisingly light on its feet with witty dialogue.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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Right now, the comfy-cute cute walking shoes are on sale from just $55.—
Ruby McAuliffe,
InStyle,
30 May 2026
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My favorites include breezy linen co-ords, casual-but-cute loungewear sets, and elevated athleisure styles that work for basically everything — starting at $21.—
Jill Layton,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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As Fey said in an interview pegged to season one, the truth is humorous.—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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Within more humorous approaches like Ikezoe’s lies a powerful if subtle proposition.—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
24 May 2026
Adjective
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Chick lit was flippant and fizzy and fun, above all, as effervescent and guiltless as a vodka soda.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
4 May 2026
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During his Monday night Daily Show episode, the political comic blasted the POTUS’ flippant attitude toward his largely unfavorable military decisions in the SWANA region.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There’s a fine blue line between stupid and clever.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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Auoon Clip-On Pot Strainer This clever clip-on pot strainer takes up less space in the cabinet and the dishwasher, and makes quick work of straining pasta water, washing fruit and vegetables, and more.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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The first image in the exhibition announced the playful tenor of the oversize works, which often verged on the ludic despite the lack of spontaneity owing to the cumbersome Land Camera.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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Bathrooms offer floor-to-ceiling black-and-white tile and benefit from natural light, adding an unexpected touch of polish to the otherwise playful design.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Facetious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facetious. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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