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
For a man known around the Pentagon as a relentless, humorless taskmaster, McNamara seemed virtually unrecognizable on the party circuit, mingling casually with journalists, fellow government officials, and vivacious Georgetown hostesses.
—
William Taubman, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Single-minded and fairly humorless, Chappellet is impelled but seldom impulsive.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Right now, the powers that be in America, humorless and self-aggrandizing, are hell-bent on running down whatever lies in their path.
—Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 1 June 2025
There is plenty of commentary, even among users of other platforms, about how Threads is bloodless (and owned by Mark Zuckerberg), Mastodon is inscrutable, and Bluesky is humorless.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for humorless
William Taubman, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Single-minded and fairly humorless, Chappellet is impelled but seldom impulsive.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
Right now, the powers that be in America, humorless and self-aggrandizing, are hell-bent on running down whatever lies in their path.
—Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 1 June 2025
There is plenty of commentary, even among users of other platforms, about how Threads is bloodless (and owned by Mark Zuckerberg), Mastodon is inscrutable, and Bluesky is humorless.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for humorless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humorless
Adjective
-
Although there will be a couple of weeks of sports competitions to come, none are possible without an opening ceremony, a combination of solemn official protocol with a fantastic representation of the host country’s culture and character, evoking the Olympic spirit itself.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The show looks glamorous — custom design, lush staging, a format that nods to late-night talk shows rather than solemn panels.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In a statement to NBC News, Daiichi Sankyo, which makes Savaysa, said that the drug is used to reduce the risk of stroke and clots but added that anticoagulants can increase the risk of serious bleeding.—
David Cox,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
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Many of these people had been charged with serious crimes like assaulting security officers or bus and train operators, weapons possession, or threatening drivers.—
Amber Gaudet
Updated February 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That way, your ideas can land without sounding stern.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Carro ended the hearing with a stern directive to defense lawyers, who repeatedly pushed back on the June 8 trial date.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Often taunted by tabloids for her unsmiling demeanor, Victoria shows off her sense of humor and gets real about some of the most difficult parts of her past, including her struggles with an eating disorder and almost losing her fashion business entirely.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
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The single mother of three was at her job that morning when she was asked to report immediately to the front of the building, where Wainscott was met by police officers — who showed her a photo of an unsmiling man in his early 30s, with short brown hair and a light goatee.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Only a couple of tech companies took the earnest route, like Google’s heartwarming spot about a mother and young son dreaming up what their new home might look like using its own AI offering, Gemini.—
Julia Black,
Vanity Fair,
8 Feb. 2026
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Super Bowl food is a distinct category in and of itself — a mix of the homegrown, earnest potluck with the fast food America is known for.—
Mike Snider,
AZCentral.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Humorless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humorless. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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