as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner
humorless people who can't see the lighter side of life
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of humorless
Worst of all, Phillips has intentionally or unintentionally created a bizarro, humorless version of My Cousin Vinny.
—
Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 4 Oct. 2024
The Shoshone and Paiute characters, meanwhile, are solemnly noble or dangerously impassioned but invariably humorless.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
All this alarm and losing has made Democratic politics a rather miserable and humorless endeavor.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025
But the finished product feels relatively humorless, leaving the cast looking silly in scenes that might conceivably have flown if played as deadpan comedy — not a tenor achieved or seemingly even aimed for here.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humorless
Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 4 Oct. 2024
The Shoshone and Paiute characters, meanwhile, are solemnly noble or dangerously impassioned but invariably humorless.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
All this alarm and losing has made Democratic politics a rather miserable and humorless endeavor.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025
But the finished product feels relatively humorless, leaving the cast looking silly in scenes that might conceivably have flown if played as deadpan comedy — not a tenor achieved or seemingly even aimed for here.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humorless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humorless
Adjective
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Its fun-first identity is part of the draw in a market flooded with solemn storytelling and dusty barrels.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
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Moderator Whoopi Goldberg opened the show with a solemn acknowledgment of the disaster, urging viewers in affected areas to stay safe and tune in for information on how to help.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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The restaurant was temporarily closed by the city for multiple serious health violations, including a malfunctioning refrigerator and freezer, mold growth and food buildup on kitchen equipment.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 July 2025
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Over time, those sketches became more serious, taking the form of tattoo designs.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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However, the slow collision of Ray’s two worlds unfolds with the stern casualness of two business acquaintances meeting for dinner.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
18 July 2025
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Bill Pogue’s family and friends knew him as a thoughtful, deeply sensitive man, despite his reputation as a gruff, stern, wildlife officer.—
Jim Zumbo,
Outdoor Life,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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The crowd roars and the vast, unsmiling curtain-call cast line the stage with the leading man bare-chested and covered in blood.—
David Benedict,
Variety,
1 July 2025
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The portrait's lack of background and Trump's unsmiling gaze further differentiates it from those of his predecessors.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Keen home cook Erin Patterson hosted an intimate meal in July 2023 that started with good-natured banter and earnest prayer — but ended with three guests dead.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
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The group is so deep — and perhaps has sustained so much injured attrition over the past two years — that the earnest fan could probably name nine offensive lineman off the top of their head.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Humorless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humorless. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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