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

The musical number provides lots of hilarity, playing off Ozzie's (Jules Munshin) fear of heights and situating the building as the best meeting place in the city. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 25 June 2024

The show contains some improv comedy elements as well as the surefire hilarity of ugly sweaters at Christmastime. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2024

Their quest to get touched for the very first time led to much hilarity. —Mara Reinstein, Vulture, 6 June 2024

From the self-referential opening number to the appearance of the ginormous sandworm, the creators of this take on Beetlejuice knew that fun and a whole lotta tongue-in-cheek hilarity are always welcome at the theater. 4. —Scott Hocker, theweek, 2 Apr. 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