HUMOROUS Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'humorous' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of humorous are facetious , jocose , jocular , and witty . While all these words mean "provoking or intended to provoke laughter," humorous applies broadly to anything that evokes usually genial laughter and may contrast with witty in suggesting whimsicality or eccentricity. // humorous anecdotes

Q: In what contexts can 'facetious' take the place of 'humorous'?

While the synonyms facetious and humorous are close in meaning, facetious stresses a desire to produce laughter and may be derogatory in implying dubious or ill-timed attempts at wit or humor. // facetious comments

Q: How are the words 'jocose' and 'facetious' related as synonyms of 'humorous'?

Jocose is somewhat less derogatory than facetious in suggesting habitual waggishness or playfulness. // jocose proposals

Q: When might 'jocular' be a better fit than 'humorous'?

The synonyms jocular and humorous are sometimes interchangeable, but jocular implies a usually habitual fondness for jesting and joking. // a jocular fellow

Q: When is 'witty' a more appropriate choice than 'humorous'?

Although the words witty and humorous have much in common, witty suggests cleverness and quickness of mind. // a witty remark

humorous

adjective

ˈhyüm-rəs

Definition of humorous

as in funny

causing or intended to cause laughter the humorous moments in an otherwise somber affair "most humorous costume" went to the girl dressed as Little Bo Peep

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in witty

given to or marked by mature intelligent humor the movie's a humorous look at love and marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word humorous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of humorous are facetious, jocose, jocular, and witty. While all these words mean "provoking or intended to provoke laughter," humorous applies broadly to anything that evokes usually genial laughter and may contrast with witty in suggesting whimsicality or eccentricity.

humorous anecdotes

In what contexts can facetious take the place of humorous?

While the synonyms facetious and humorous are close in meaning, facetious stresses a desire to produce laughter and may be derogatory in implying dubious or ill-timed attempts at wit or humor.

facetious comments

How are the words jocose and facetious related as synonyms of humorous?

Jocose is somewhat less derogatory than facetious in suggesting habitual waggishness or playfulness.

jocose proposals

When might jocular be a better fit than humorous?

The synonyms jocular and humorous are sometimes interchangeable, but jocular implies a usually habitual fondness for jesting and joking.

a jocular fellow

When is witty a more appropriate choice than humorous?

Although the words witty and humorous have much in common, witty suggests cleverness and quickness of mind.

a witty remark

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 humorous In Saratoga that translated to humorous/hard-hitting spears tossed at Led Zeppelin, Neil Young and even The Who’s own late great bassist John Entwistle. — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2026 Some of Sami’s videos also were humorous and self-deprecating. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 2 Sep. 2026 What would make the proposal of an airport named in Parton’s honor more humorous than any other effort to pay tribute to the American icon? — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026 Their escapade leads not only to the creation of their island paradise, Moonrise Kingdom, but a humorous wild goose chase between Suzy’s parents, Sam’s Scout troop, and the island police chief. — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for humorous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for humorous

Adjective

On paper, the script didn’t seem that funny, and the looseness of it all — the clowning, the lack of a traditional plot structure — seemed kind of slapdash.

— Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
The play touches on issues of male bonding, family, reentering the dating pool, loss, grief and despair, while being very funny almost all the time.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of funny

Adjective

Yes, those were the simpler days of television — when fast cars, alternating love interests, and witty barbs were more than enough to keep us entertained.

— Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Sep. 2026
Politically savvy, wickedly and playfully witty, and in close touch with humanity’s many facets, Roger Simon was among the most admired newspaper columnists of his generation at a time when that world was rich in that species of wordsmiths.

— Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of witty

Adjective

Snatch is far more clever than many similar ensemble capers, with a real nasty edge that remains comedic rather than nihilistic.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Running eight episodes, Davidson teases that The Varnell Hill Show‘s first season will be an experience like no other, giving viewers a mix of comedic bits, interviews, and live performances.

— Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of comedic

Adjective

But the clever props design (Bruce Dickinson and Anna Kraus) fills in any shoestring gaps.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Mathematicians have cooked up all sorts of clever error-correcting codes (not all based on sphere packing) for varied applications.

— Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of clever

Adjective

They’ve been assembled for a brain-breaker of a misfired melodrama, at first darkly amusing, before plunging headlong into soap opera-style twists and a general sense of heavy depression that no one can shake.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
The obsessive neat freak beneath the easygoing surface of the virtue-signaling feminist ally might have made an amusing motif if it were ever referenced again.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of amusing

Adjective

The production, directed by Margaret Shigeko Starbuck, runs with the makeshift energy and comical freedom that this contextual shift allows.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
The brothers pepper in POV shots of the climbers to literally put the audience in their shoes, but don’t overplay their hand, maintaining palpable reality even when the challenges mount to comical levels.

— Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of comical

Adjective

Their family friction and riches-to-rags plight ups the comic and dramatic ante, as the Wangs encounter the very different day-to-day lives of other Americans on their cross-country journey.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Rife first came to prominence in 2022 after videos of his comic routines went viral on TikTok.

— Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of comic

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“Humorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humorous. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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