humorous

adjective

hu·​mor·​ous ˈhyüm-rəs How to pronounce humorous (audio)
ˈyüm-,
ˈhyü-mə- How to pronounce humorous (audio)
ˈyü-
1
a
: full of or characterized by that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous : full of or characterized by humor : funny
humorous stories
shared a humorous anecdote
b
: possessing, indicating, or expressive of an ability to be funny or to be amused by things that are funny : possessing, indicating, or expressive of a sense of humor
a humorous writer
studied his own life … with a shrewd and humorous eyeHarrison Smith
2
obsolete : humid
humorously adverb
humorousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for humorous

witty, humorous, facetious, jocular, jocose mean provoking or intended to provoke laughter.

witty suggests cleverness and quickness of mind.

a witty remark

humorous applies broadly to anything that evokes usually genial laughter and may contrast with witty in suggesting whimsicality or eccentricity.

humorous anecdotes

facetious stresses a desire to produce laughter and may be derogatory in implying dubious or ill-timed attempts at wit or humor.

facetious comments

jocular implies a usually habitual fondness for jesting and joking.

a jocular fellow

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

jocose proposals

Examples of humorous in a Sentence

The book is very humorous. the humorous moments in an otherwise somber affair
Recent Examples on the Web
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The talented cast of BET Plus’s hit show Sistas brings to life the heartfelt, relatable, and often humorous journey of modern Black women navigating love, friendship, and career. Noel Cody, Essence, 7 Mar. 2025 Gercke is quite skilled at building characters and writing humorous and poetic dialogue. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025 Kieran Culkin took home the first award of the night for his supporting role in A Real Pain, kicking off the evening with a humorous and slightly censored acceptance speech. Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025 This darkly humorous tragedy, written by the Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Sam Shepard in the 1970s, tells the story of the Tates, a downtrodden family of four living on a farm in California where everything is in a state of massive disrepair. Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for humorous

Word History

Etymology

see humor entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of humorous was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Humorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humorous. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

humorous

adjective
hu·​mor·​ous ˈhyüm-(ə-)rəs How to pronounce humorous (audio)
ˈyüm-
: full of, characterized by, or expressing humor : droll
a humorous story
humorously adverb
humorousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on humorous

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