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 agitated
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of hysterical
With the games dripping out, one at a time, the entire planet is focused on a single match while it is being played, all the eyes of the world resting on twenty-two elite athletes acting out a sporting telenovela, living making decisions without a script, under conditions of hysterical pressure.
—
Jeffrey Pierre, NPR, 17 Mar. 2026
The singer then broke down in hysterical laughter, falling onto the table in front of her and shoving her microphone away.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Mar. 2026
Walker offers this diagnosis himself, leeringly dismissing Pearl as a silly mommy, awash with hormones, mildly and minorly hysterical.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Lead skiing announcer Dan Hicks had just the right tone of concern without hysterical overreaction.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hysterical
Jeffrey Pierre, NPR, 17 Mar. 2026
The singer then broke down in hysterical laughter, falling onto the table in front of her and shoving her microphone away.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Mar. 2026
Walker offers this diagnosis himself, leeringly dismissing Pearl as a silly mommy, awash with hormones, mildly and minorly hysterical.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Lead skiing announcer Dan Hicks had just the right tone of concern without hysterical overreaction.
—John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hysterical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hysterical
Adjective
-
There’s a funny reason why the pain flares in your upper face and forehead, a bit of a distance from the area responsible for the cold.—
Julia Daye,
Popular Science,
2 Apr. 2026
-
As funny as her life seems, like everyone's, serious moments pepper the comedy.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Iannarelli explained that a core element of de-escalation is projecting calmness, as individuals often mimic those who appear angry and agitated.—
Evonne Andris,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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Jackson allegedly appeared to be in a highly agitated state and was moving erratically and mumbling, police body camera footage shows.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Chesney became frightened, scaled the enclosure wall and hopped over the fence.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The team caught up with Chesney on Wednesday and again Thursday night, but Johnson said the frightened kangaroo slipped away — once by jumping into a cold river — and Johnson lost track on the drone.—
John O'Connor,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The abundance of light that Koestenbaum sheds on the rabbi is humorous, sure, but also humanistic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
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The humorous contrast between his calm expression and his awkward position is what helped propel the clip across social media.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The perpetrators often looked down at the floor or straight ahead as approximately 30 victim impact statements were read – most from young female victims, but also from distraught parents and Janine Swinehart, the prosecuting attorney.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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The victim’s grieving brother was too distraught to talk to reporters.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Recently, Kristen chased a terrified family with young children up a nearby stairway.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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But since the arrival of the feds, families had grown too terrified to leave home.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Pickles frequently appear in comedic settings, from cartoon characters struggling with oversized jars to absurd internet memes celebrating the eccentricity of pickle enthusiasts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In this darkly comedic action thriller from director Ben Wheatley (High-Rise, FFF 2016) and the writer of John Wick, Bob Odenkirk stars as a new sheriff whose simple assignment unravels after a botched robbery proves that everything in the quiet town of Normal, Minnesota, is anything but!—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Szeemann’s two Venice Biennales followed a decade of frantic exhibition-making across the globe, by Szeemann himself and by young professionals proud to call themselves independent curators.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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Brooks, for his part, equivocated … A bout of frantic rebranding ensued.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hysterical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysterical. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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