hilarity

noun

hi·​lar·​i·​ty hi-ˈler-ə-tē 

hī-

: boisterous merriment or laughter

Synonyms

• cheer
• cheerfulness
• cheeriness
• festivity
• gaiety
• gayety
• gayness
• glee
• gleefulness
• jocundity
• joviality
• merriment
• merriness
• mirth
• mirthfulness

Examples of hilarity in a Sentence

My attempt to carve the turkey was a source of great hilarity at the dinner table.

hilarity is the last thing you expect to find at a funeral, but we were there to celebrate his life rather than to dwell on his death

Recent Examples on the Web

Nobody’s logging on expecting profundity, hilarity, or sincerity. —Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 26 Nov. 2024

But then Six Characters inverts itself from bitterly self-conscious hilarity (the way to woo a big institution, one character muses, is to suppress your anger and write a comedy) into a mode that’s cooler and more reflective. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 30 July 2024

The previous Yankees losses offered their share of hilarity too. —Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

And outtakes of a vast hilarity — there’s a comedy album in there, from between takes. —Chris Willman, Variety, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hilarity

noun

hi·​lar·​i·​ty hil-ˈar-ət-ē 

-ˈer-;

hī-ˈlar-,

-ˈler-

: noisy fun