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Definition of funnext
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as in play
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously when I said that playing the piano like that could get you arrested, I only said it in fun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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fun

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun fun differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fun are game, jest, play, and sport. While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

How do game and sport relate to one another, in the sense of fun?

Game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

When can jest be used instead of fun?

The words jest and fun can be used in similar contexts, but jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

When might play be a better fit than fun?

In some situations, the words play and fun are roughly equivalent. However, play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

In what contexts can sport take the place of fun?

The synonyms sport and fun are sometimes interchangeable, but sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

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 fun
Adjective
Best Time To Visit With over 15 hours of sunshine, comfortable temperatures in the 60s, and fun events like the Lincoln City Summer Kites Festival, summer in Lincoln City is hard to beat. Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026 Google has a fun feature called Magic Capture, which analyzes hundreds of frames to deliver the best shots in HDR+ quality. Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
Instead, focus on socializing, the arts, sports and fun activities with kids. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2026 Still, there is much old-school horror fun to be had here, with costume designer Liz Keogh Palmer and the team of makeup artists especially deserving of credit with their mind-blowing work on various evil spirits. Tomris Laffly, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fun
Adjective
  • The oysters and the pretzels are amusing moments, but the real tension comes as the group are just sitting and talking.
    Deadline, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The format was an amusing detour as the crowd heard from Shiflett (No Use for a Name), Jaffee (The Wallflowers), Mendel (Sunny Day Real Estate), Smear (The Germs) and Rubin (The New Regime).
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Sony Vizha will combine original fiction, global reality formats, movies and tentpole entertainment across television and digital platforms ahead of its October debut.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Airlines around the world are currently plagued by delays in their efforts to deliver new premium offerings — including increasing passenger demand for privacy, high-tech connectivity and inflight entertainment — to meet the surge in air travel.
    Edward Russell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Reasons for that include a lot of Vikings blitzes and two great plays by safety Jay Ward, a would-be interception ruled a sack and a sack on a blitz.
    Ren Clayton, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Freeland grabbed at his back after delivering a pitch to Ben Rortvedt, who flied out on the play, and was removed after allowing four runs on six hits.
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • These resorts make relaxation as easy as possible, without losing sight of what makes each locale worth visiting and offering plenty of opportunities for those looking to experience what makes the destination special.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Bananas contain nutrients like magnesium and vitamin B6 that promote relaxation and sleep.
    Carley Millhone, HEALTH, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Hearing the commotion, John calls for Gates only for the assailant to kick through the door.
    Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Sleep was beginning to finally visit the insomniacs and drunkards of T—in central Manila when a commotion louder than the usual domestic squabbles erupted from the room above Mang Calixto’s bakery.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Gibbs joked that some Cup drivers would be out of the series without the high-tech device that makes blocking easier by anticipating an opponent’s move.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The bride jokes that everyone was so excited to celebrate that the party almost took them out.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • This is what makes this sport so tough to predict and so enjoyable to watch transpire over six months and 162 games.
    Jayson Stark, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • While Cape Breton is reachable by both air and car, the most enjoyable way to start your cool Northeast summer getaway is by high-speed ferry from Bar Harbor, Maine, onboard THE CAT to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
    Josh Roberts, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But that misses the delight Arzner took in her stars and in the backlot drama of the studios.
    Anne E. Fernald, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Here again, in this slim book, the narrative unfolds in fragments, every sentence drawing you deeper into the delights of language.
    Amitava Kumar, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fun. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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