hysterical

1 causing or intended to cause laughter some of the things little kids come out with are hysterical Synonyms antic, chucklesome, comedic, comic, comical, droll, farcical, hilarious, humoristic, humorous, funny (also hysteric), killing, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, riotous, risible, screaming, sidesplitting, uproariousRelated Words amusing, diverting, entertaining; clownish, knockabout, slapstick, slapsticky, zany; facetious, flip, flippant, pert, smart, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, snickery; jocular, playful, waggish; campy, jokey (also joky); priceless, rich, whimsical, witty, wry; blithesome, gleeful, jocose, jocund, jolly, jovial, laughing, mad, merry, mirthfulNear Antonyms earnest, grave, no-nonsense, sedate, serious, severe, sober, sobersided, solemn, somber (or sombre), staid, unsmiling, weighty; affecting, moving, poignant, touching, tragic (also tragical); lachrymose, mournful, sad, sorrowful, tearful, woefulAntonyms humorless, lame, unamusing, uncomic, unfunny, unhumorous, unhysterical

2 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 agitated, delirious, distracted, distrait, distraught, frenzied, frantic (also hysteric)Related Words alarmed, anxious, disquieted, disturbed, nervous, perturbed, tense, troubled, upset, worried, wrought (up); affrighted, aghast, alarmed, fearful, frightened, horrified, scared, spooked, terrified, terrorized; ballistic, berserk, crazed, demented, deranged, mad, maniacal (also maniac), nuclear; raging, ranting, ravingNear Antonyms calm, peaceful, placid, self-possessed, serene, tranquil; cool, coolheaded, undisturbed, unperturbed, unshaken, untroubled, unworriedAntonyms collected, composed, recollected, self-collected, self-composed, self-possessed, unhysterical

3 filled with fear or dread upon hearing the announcement that a shark had been sighted, hysterical beachgoers raced out of the water Synonyms affrighted, aghast, alarmed, fearful, frightened, horrified, horror-struck, afraid (also hysteric), scared, scary, shocked, spooked, terrified, terrorizedRelated Words chicken, fainthearted, fearsome, shrinking, shy, timid, timorous, tremulant, tremulous; agitated, anxious, apprehensive, disconcerted, disquieted, disturbed, funky, jittery, jumpy, nervous, panicked, panicky, panic-stricken, perturbed, skittish, uneasy, upset, worried; phobic; appalled, dismayed, startled; cowed, daunted, intimidated, unnerved; coward, cowardly, craven, gutless, lily-livered, pusillanimous; careful, cautious, heedful, prudent, unadventurous, waryNear Antonyms adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, bold, daredevil, daring, dashing, gutsy, plucky, spirited, spunky, venturesome, venturous; brave, courageous, gallant, hardy, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous; assured, collected, composed, confident, cool, sanguine, sure, unperturbed; dauntless, resolute, undauntedAntonyms fearless, unafraid