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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jocular
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
Modern American popular culture contains many jocular characters that resemble this folkloric bird, who is delightfully impervious to pain, from cartoon characters such as the Road Runner – an actual bird – to the foulmouthed, self-regenerating antihero Deadpool.
—Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jocular
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
Modern American popular culture contains many jocular characters that resemble this folkloric bird, who is delightfully impervious to pain, from cartoon characters such as the Road Runner – an actual bird – to the foulmouthed, self-regenerating antihero Deadpool.
—Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jocular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jocular
Adjective
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Her decision stirs conflicts with her husband (Bernal), daughter (Noomi Rapace), and AI assistant (Beanie Feldstein), revealing the humorous complexity of their relationships.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
-
The performance also closed out the show, which was a star-studded, sentimental, and humorous send-off.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
22 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
-
Zabaglio’s brother, Jamie, visited from Washington and performed a witty free-form comedy act only a few slots after his sibling.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
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There are moments of great, witty tenderness here.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
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
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The neighborhood Neighboring St Moritz was adopted in the 19th century by all those jolly-hockey-stick Brits, who introduced skiing and tobogganing, but little Sils Maria has always been more cerebral.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This is a clever ensemble comedy that premiered at SXSW with Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
23 May 2026
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But behind the feminist statement and clever subversion, something else happened.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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The touch of glitter adds the perfect accent that feels festive and minimal.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
21 May 2026
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Fun patterns, chic designs and festive bows make every bottle feel extra special.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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McCartney has some good company this time, anyway, in his cheerful time-tripping.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
23 May 2026
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As early as kindergarten, people associate yellow with words like playful, exciting, and cheerful.—
Petra Guglielmetti,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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Under other circumstances, this Englewood block party would be considered nothing less than jovial.—
Allison Kiehl,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
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Though the two-time Minnesota Twins All-Star will be out of the lineup for a third straight day Saturday, Buxton was in a jovial mood after participating in a series of baseball drills, his first activity in several days.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jocular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jocular. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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