HUMOROUS Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'humorous' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of humorous are facetious , jocose , jocular , and witty . While all these words mean "provoking or intended to provoke laughter," humorous applies broadly to anything that evokes usually genial laughter and may contrast with witty in suggesting whimsicality or eccentricity. // humorous anecdotes

Q: In what contexts can 'facetious' take the place of 'humorous'?

While the synonyms facetious and humorous are close in meaning, facetious stresses a desire to produce laughter and may be derogatory in implying dubious or ill-timed attempts at wit or humor. // facetious comments

Q: How are the words 'jocose' and 'facetious' related as synonyms of 'humorous'?

Jocose is somewhat less derogatory than facetious in suggesting habitual waggishness or playfulness. // jocose proposals

Q: When might 'jocular' be a better fit than 'humorous'?

The synonyms jocular and humorous are sometimes interchangeable, but jocular implies a usually habitual fondness for jesting and joking. // a jocular fellow

Q: When is 'witty' a more appropriate choice than 'humorous'?

Although the words witty and humorous have much in common, witty suggests cleverness and quickness of mind. // a witty remark

humorous

adjective

ˈhyüm-rəs

Definition of humorous

as in funny

causing or intended to cause laughter the humorous moments in an otherwise somber affair "most humorous costume" went to the girl dressed as Little Bo Peep

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in witty

given to or marked by mature intelligent humor the movie's a humorous look at love and marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word humorous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of humorous are facetious, jocose, jocular, and witty. While all these words mean "provoking or intended to provoke laughter," humorous applies broadly to anything that evokes usually genial laughter and may contrast with witty in suggesting whimsicality or eccentricity.

humorous anecdotes

In what contexts can facetious take the place of humorous?

While the synonyms facetious and humorous are close in meaning, facetious stresses a desire to produce laughter and may be derogatory in implying dubious or ill-timed attempts at wit or humor.

facetious comments

How are the words jocose and facetious related as synonyms of humorous?

Jocose is somewhat less derogatory than facetious in suggesting habitual waggishness or playfulness.

jocose proposals

When might jocular be a better fit than humorous?

The synonyms jocular and humorous are sometimes interchangeable, but jocular implies a usually habitual fondness for jesting and joking.

a jocular fellow

When is witty a more appropriate choice than humorous?

Although the words witty and humorous have much in common, witty suggests cleverness and quickness of mind.

a witty remark

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of humorous Equal parts emotional, horrifying and humorous, Pagans unearths all our darkest thoughts about family. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026 While captain Henderson is crucial for a harmonious atmosphere and has the self-confidence to lead the team into this new era, and he is joined by the ever-humorous Hughes, there is an absence of strong personalities in this squad. — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Alves, who is known online for her day-in-the-life content as well as making videos documenting humorous pranks, had nearly 60,000 followers on Instagram. — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026 Gunn said some of the Internet memes mocking her moves were humorous before widespread analysis of her efforts took on a frenzied life of its own. — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for humorous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for humorous

Adjective

The end result is Murder Bites, my funny, quirky mystery that takes place in a small town where everyone is obsessed with their tiny designer dogs.

— Mimi Montgomery, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
What is sort of funny is imagining how immersion in the city’s cultural scene fits into Vanderbilt’s broader ambitions.

— Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of funny

Adjective

From song to screen With her southern twang, witty charm and stunning looks, Parton was a natural in front of the camera.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
MacDonald and editor Phil Hignett have a keen, witty sense of how the online realm crashes offline living, seamlessly integrating deadly-accurate TikTok parodies into the film’s breezy narrative flow.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of witty

Adjective

Mystery Men Throw it back to the Y2K era with this 1999 comedy starring a plethora of the era’s brightest comedic talents, including Ben Stiller, Kel Mitchell, Janeane Garofolo, and Paul Reubens.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026
The one comedic element Blair didn’t want to stick his neck out for?

— William Earl, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of comedic

Adjective

The midfielder is a clever front-foot defender, capable of an early tackle or interception to halt opposition momentum.

— Carl Anka, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Allowing commercial director Joe Pytka to continue that work in a feature film that saw Jordan playing basketball alongside the Looney Tunes characters was a clever extension of the campaign.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of clever

Adjective

That closeness, however, has made the internet’s speculation about their secret romantic arrangement particularly amusing to Bunny, who tells PEOPLE that there is no hidden relationship between the three.

— Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
American style can be at turns confounding, amusing, and aspirational.

— Luis Alberto Rodriguez, Vanity Fair, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of amusing

Adjective

There’s an almost comical confidence to wearing several necklaces at once, particularly when each one has been customized to mean something.

— Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Aston Martin should be well poised to fight for midfield positions during this weekend’s Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, something that just a race or two ago would’ve sounded comical.

— Jerry Perez, The Drive, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of comical

Adjective

The project uses horror and darkly comic genre elements to approach the psychological pressures of motherhood, extending Urban’s interest in personal experience as a route into broader social and political terrain.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Charting the trajectory of a comedy career is about more than just seeing a comic crush in front of a few crowds or glibly scrolling through their TikTok clips.

— Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of comic

Adjective

The newer wing added additional living and entertaining spaces, including a handmade kitchen designed with GP & J Baker Interiors, a summer kitchen, a glass sunroom, and a dining area that opens through French doors to the pool terrace.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
The robotic races and other flashy events provide for an entertaining spectacle that can lead to easy news headlines and viral video clips.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of entertaining

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“Humorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humorous. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of humorous

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