HUMORLESSNESS Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

humorlessness

noun

as in earnestness

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 humorlessness One of my major disappointments in a lot of the writing was its humorlessness. — Diya Chacko, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for humorlessness

Noun

The trio of city employees flipped through the issue with obligatory earnestness, straining to read in the dark and din of the party.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
On and off the court, Miller approaches his job with an earnestness born out of clawing for every minute off the bench.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of earnestness

Noun

As Agathe comes to understand the extent of her troubles, Exarchopoulos’ performance achieves a sorrowful gravitas.

— Jon Frosch, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2023
Henriksen plays his part to the hilt here, bringing a gravitas that few actors would consider bringing to the role of a shoot-'em-up movie villain.

— Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 11 Jan. 2023

Definition of gravitas

Noun

If power fails or core temperatures rise, the system shuts down and the liquid fuel salt drains by gravity into passive dump tanks without operator action.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
The test used giant tethers to simulate lunar gravity as the vehicle fired its main engines and fine-control thrusters to land on a cratered surface and take off from a location near Beijing.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of gravity

Noun

However, they’re given an earnest, if sometimes overly sentimental, airing here thanks to Ueda’s personal connection to the material.

— Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026
By May 2026, all 11 of xAI’s original cofounders had departed the company, a cascade that began in earnest in February when Tony Wu, described as one of the most operationally central cofounders, announced his resignation.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 June 2026

Definition of earnest

Noun

Juxtaposing the solemnity of Victorian mourning with his characteristically surreal theatricality, Browne transformed the runway into a narrative about fashion’s power to bring its devotees back to life.

— Livia Caligor, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Adding to the solemnity of the occasion was a string quartet that played two slow movements from Alban Berg’s Lyric Suite.

— Peter E. Gordon, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of solemnity

Browse Nearby Words

humorless

humorlessness

humorous

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Humorlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humorlessness. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of humorlessness

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

quondam

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes