as in glee
a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 hilarity
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
The letters that passed among these four share a tone of intimate hilarity, to the degree that the identity of the correspondents can almost seem interchangeable.
—Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025
Personal lines get crossed, among other things, and awkward hilarity ensues.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hilarity
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
The letters that passed among these four share a tone of intimate hilarity, to the degree that the identity of the correspondents can almost seem interchangeable.
—Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025
Personal lines get crossed, among other things, and awkward hilarity ensues.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hilarity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hilarity
Noun
-
Swinging from the overhanging branches and darting through the woods, the animals were heading toward a nearby housing project, their pink faces lit with glee.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Hanlon wasn’t trying to hide his glee.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
As Milchick, Tillman infused an unnerving cheerfulness into Lumon Industries’ macrodata refinement supervisor, a character who became increasingly central in Season 2.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Her vivacious attitude connects her with Aries (Stacey’s actual birthday is April 3) due to her fearlessness and cheerfulness in situations, no matter what is thrown at her.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Many people took the day off from work and brought their children to take part in the festivities.—
Steve Futterman,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
-
In celebration, Jake’s older sister, Jamilah (Adrianna Mitchell), and her kids, Lisa (Braxton Paul) and Mase (Finn Maloney), travel to New York for the festivities.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Celebrity guest Jonathan Groff spreads good cheer, pairing up with contestants to compete against Fallon and his teammate in a festive edition of the iconic celebrity word game.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Top with colorful sprinkles for a touch of holiday cheer.—
Jenavieve Christensen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hilarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hilarity. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share