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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lightness
a lack of seriousness often at an improper time
underage drinking is a serious problem and not a matter for facetiousness and lame jokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of facetious
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
Since returning to the White House in January, he’s repeatedly teased the idea of running again — but, unlike his recent comments, his past remarks have appeared to be facetious.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
Given this is an AMA, there is no clear way to tell if Perkins was being facetious or not.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
Trump has been pushing an imperialist vision that includes U.S. acquisition of Greenland, Panama, and — on a more facetious note — Canada.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for facetious
Adjective
That quip no longer seems so facetious as a son of exiles who fled their homeland prepares to become America’s top diplomat.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
Since returning to the White House in January, he’s repeatedly teased the idea of running again — but, unlike his recent comments, his past remarks have appeared to be facetious.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025
Given this is an AMA, there is no clear way to tell if Perkins was being facetious or not.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
Trump has been pushing an imperialist vision that includes U.S. acquisition of Greenland, Panama, and — on a more facetious note — Canada.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for facetious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facetious
Adjective
-
On July 4, your celestial ruler, Venus, entered the sparkly and witty sign of Gemini, charming your ninth house of experience and self-discovery.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
10 July 2025
-
No, really — with her sharp and witty books like this one and The Partly-Cloudy Patriot, Vowell does for history what Neil deGrasse Tyson does for science.—
Brian Boone,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
July 6, 2025: Rodman watching Shelton’s match at Wimbledon is so cute the ESPN announcer literally giggles trying to talk about them.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
7 July 2025
-
Oh, and the best pairs of the bunch are also plain old comfy (and cute, in a gorpcore kind of way).—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
When the theme arrived in the cellos, Guerrero maintained their levity and grace throughout the movement — and, in fact, throughout much of the piece, bringing an aerodynamic lightness even to the symphony’s final cadence.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2025
-
After Appeals Court Pauses Ruling While the bolster gives support and balance to the knife, the lightness of the bolster-free Japanese knives offers ergonomic benefits.—
Akiko Katayama,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Mister Terrific, who is not a humorous man but is very funny because of it, gets very huffy over Superman’s jibes and storms off.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Others saw it as a humorous, if unsettling, glimpse into how AI is increasingly embedded in corporate communications.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
In turn, much of My Face Hurts From Smiling is downright flippant.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
27 June 2025
-
Her flippant attitude toward school, her refusal to talk through her grief, and her slippery grasp on the concepts of right and wrong can all be traced to that fateful night in this garage.—
Stacia Brown,
Vulture,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Light, clever, and just leftfield enough to feel like a proper find.—
Lela London,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Dubno’s novel sounds equally thoughtful and nasty, clever and juicy and full of great drama.—
Literary Hub
July 1,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Ludus refers to playful, game-like love that values fun and avoids deep commitment.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
-
Even more recently, Dua Lipa debuted a playful French manicure with white polka dots on black tips, adding even more white spots all-over a couple accent nails.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
Fans have already started expressing their glee over the news on social media.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
11 June 2025
-
As the country’s friends have looked on in horror and its rivals have watched with glee, the United States has gone from indispensable to insufferable.—
KORI SCHAKE,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Facetious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facetious. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share