variants
also hysteric
1
as in funny
causing or intended to cause laughter
some of the things little kids come out with are hysterical
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worried
feeling overwhelming fear or worry
the police officer assured the mother that there was no need to get hysterical, for most missing children are found safe and sound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in frightened
filled with fear or dread
upon hearing the announcement that a shark had been sighted, hysterical beachgoers raced out of the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hysterical
No mumbling rap, no jams, just one unbroken, hysterical climb.
—
Timothy Crouse, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
A lot of it is not actually in the movie, but the things that [Andy] had the group leader saying were so hysterical.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2025
Its final season became one of the most Emmy-nominated in history, as creator Jesse Armstrong concluded the story of the Roy family (at least for now) with a hysterical, moving run of episodes.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
The implosion that inevitably ensued was so boy-coded: dramatic, hysterical, and way too much.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hysterical
Timothy Crouse, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025
A lot of it is not actually in the movie, but the things that [Andy] had the group leader saying were so hysterical.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2025
Its final season became one of the most Emmy-nominated in history, as creator Jesse Armstrong concluded the story of the Roy family (at least for now) with a hysterical, moving run of episodes.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
The implosion that inevitably ensued was so boy-coded: dramatic, hysterical, and way too much.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hysterical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hysterical
Adjective
-
Their loyalty and love for each other is rewarded just by being cooler and funnier than anyone else around.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
7 July 2025
-
But a journalist and the comedian swapping professions for a day or two could be funny.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
One of the biggest shifts since the time of Rose is that far fewer Americans are worried about this potential problem.—
Harry Enten,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
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Critics of Greene's bill are worried that the legislation could disproportionately benefit higher-income individuals, who naturally stand to make more profits from a home sale.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Audience noises at the NRG Stadium in Houston went from frightened gasps to applause as the descent was completed.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
29 June 2025
-
Things were hectic in the mall, Stain, 45, said, with lots of frightened people running to the exits.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
The administration had tried to argue that the plaintiffs had no standing given that the children were not born yet a ridiculous claim given that the effects would apply immediately at the moment of their birth.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
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The dances don’t settle for a twist or strut when a full-bodied vibration is possible, and Easley has a penchant for that ridiculous bobbin-head chicken dance from the ‘40s or ‘50s.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
There’s people that are getting into trouble because the powers that be are scared, too.—
Mario Koran,
jsonline.com,
12 July 2025
-
Most notable in the repeat of Man of Steel elements and themes, there’s the Kryptonian message threatening earth, which makes the public scared, so Superman turns himself in to government authorities.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Others saw it as a humorous, if unsettling, glimpse into how AI is increasingly embedded in corporate communications.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
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Mister Terrific, who is not a humorous man but is very funny because of it, gets very huffy over Superman’s jibes and storms off.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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In between takes, Zaki, in real life Sayed Akbari, was receiving frantic calls from his distraught nieces in Kabul because schools for girls were shutting down.—
Sonya Rehman,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
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The distraught woman can be seen sprinting away from the scene in distress, with one of her sneakers appearing to have fallen off during the terrifying ordeal.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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For two-thirds of the day, as the peloton rolled through Brittany, the majority of soundbites ranged from frivolous to downright amusing.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
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The scene was more amusing than threatening — onlookers whipped out cell phone cameras to document the sight of horses traversing the grounds.—
Jim Newton,
Mercury News,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hysterical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysterical. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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