1
as in humorous
given to or marked by mature intelligent humor
made the jocular observation that the best way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start off with a large fortune
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor
the children at the library were charmed by the jocular storyteller
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jocular
Over the decades the band’s music has moved steadily toward the kind of classic rock that punks once professed to hate — think of Led Zeppelin, think of Aerosmith, go ahead and think of Boston — while Grohl has taken up the role of jocular frontman with a gusto approaching that of David Lee Roth.
—
Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Entire families, with kids and dogs, took their holiday portraits — not with a jocular Santa, but with a snarling Krampus, standing in front of an Alpine forest backdrop.
—Deena Prichep, NPR, 8 Dec. 2025
Even was talkative and jocular, telling stories about blowout parties in Marrakech.
—Joel Khalili, Wired News, 17 Nov. 2025
That’s because of her bright and jocular storytelling.
—Mj Franklin, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jocular
Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Entire families, with kids and dogs, took their holiday portraits — not with a jocular Santa, but with a snarling Krampus, standing in front of an Alpine forest backdrop.
—Deena Prichep, NPR, 8 Dec. 2025
Even was talkative and jocular, telling stories about blowout parties in Marrakech.
—Joel Khalili, Wired News, 17 Nov. 2025
That’s because of her bright and jocular storytelling.
—Mj Franklin, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jocular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jocular
Adjective
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The actress, 52, shared a humorous Instagram Reel on Thursday, June 4.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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As Fey said in an interview pegged to season one, the truth is humorous.—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
The picture’s eclectic cast, which included Anouk Aimée, Greta Scacchi and Maximilian Schell (with cameos by Faye Dunaway, Holly Hunter and Jeff Goldblum), swirled its merry way across the grand event in search of romance, fame and the ever-elusive movie deal.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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But in the cycling ecosystem, the Rockets are still minnows, a bunch of merry men with a camera — up against teams funded by international business conglomerates and nation states.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The service The staff are gentle but also fun, witty and joyful, such as Rini, who can answer almost any question on Bawah; Nintya who handles landscaping and permaculture; and the waiter Julian, who likes to practice his English accent.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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To make the musical masterpiece of his dreams, Lestat will have to break on through his shell of witty cruelty and hope an authentic soul remains intact beneath it.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
He-Man was now a jolly, quip-ready hero, whose best friends were scaredy-cat Cringer (a green-and-yellow tiger who transformed into Battle Cat), and an annoying, hovering magician called Orko.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
-
Fishing boats sat docked along the pier, bouncing on top of the water like a row of jolly babies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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The sale features impressive savings on patio furniture, area rugs, Adirondack chairs, and clever storage solutions that make handling household clutter easy.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
-
June 2026 As Motto by Hilton’s second property in Mexico, Motto by Hilton Guadalajara Centro Historico will bring the brand’s clever, connected offerings to Guadalajara’s historic district.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The itineraries aboard the line’s nearly 2,700-guest Nieuw Statendam ship will incorporate the festive stops into ocean voyages.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
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The festive holiday lights, a winter staple of Mears Park, lined only one side of the park, leaving its three other sides bare.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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This tropical mini dress has the cheerful, vacation-ready energy of pricier resort brands without the sticker shock.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2026
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Tracks from bands like The Vaselines and Beat Happening add to the cheerful freneticism.—
Colin Wrenn,
Denver Post,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Agoura’s first-year baseball coach Adam Goldstein probably wasn’t so jovial when his Chargers were blowing leads in the seventh inning this spring.—
Tarek Fattal,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
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The final beat leaves Ava and Deborah walking down the Vegas Strip in a jovial mood, Deborah’s fate still unwritten; the treatment may or may not work.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jocular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jocular. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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