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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Recent Examples of humorless
Credit perhaps goes to Belew’s fellowship with Zappa, or Fripp’s growing resistance to being pegged as some humorless tyrant.
—
Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 11 Jan. 2026
Funny novels are invariably more serious than humorless ones.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Fueled by a humorless fear of precisely the human experiences and emotions that connect us, book banning ironically often metamorphosizes into acts of promotion, and just as often ends up exposing vile and corrosive hypocrisy in those lighting the matches.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
In Prime 4, Samus is humorless, simply nodding along while others try their best at second-rate comedy.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humorless
Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 11 Jan. 2026
Funny novels are invariably more serious than humorless ones.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Fueled by a humorless fear of precisely the human experiences and emotions that connect us, book banning ironically often metamorphosizes into acts of promotion, and just as often ends up exposing vile and corrosive hypocrisy in those lighting the matches.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
In Prime 4, Samus is humorless, simply nodding along while others try their best at second-rate comedy.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for humorless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humorless
Adjective
-
The once-rising developer’s solemn promise is not likely to be fulfilled if court records in his federal criminal case and a parallel Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit are any indication.—
Jay Weaver
June 6,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
-
What was once an event with great ceremony, solemn prayers and patriotic songs this year lasted fewer than 20 minutes before some 40 people.—
Jerry Shnay,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy appeared to escape serious injury after being involved in a violent collision during a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Thursday.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
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This is a moment for difficult conversations and serious action.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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His portrait, stern and majestic, hangs broodingly over the stairs; elsewhere on the walls, the art ranges from the Baroque to the bro-tinged, with turbaned figures sharing space with Ryu from Street Fighter.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
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The cop, who was fingerprinted after taking the deal, had a stern expression throughout the brief hearing.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Then, trace your finger to its peak, which, to me, was his starring role as smoldering special forces operative Scott McCoy in the 1986 action movie The Delta Force, co-starring a frail-looking but grizzled and unsmiling Lee Marvin in his last movie.—
John DeVore,
Rolling Stone,
20 Mar. 2026
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After school one day, an unsmiling official from a mysterious worldwide organization, Eva Stratt (played by German actress Sandra Hüller, of Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest), accosts him and humorlessly recruits him for a special project.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There's also a coordinated campaign strategy — the largest effort the state has seen in a decade — that will kick off in earnest once Tuesday's primaries are over.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
31 May 2026
-
Summer begins in earnest and spring bids adieu.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Humorless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humorless. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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