Hilarious
What it means
Extremely funny in a way that provokes strong laughter.
Reach for it when praising comedy that genuinely delighted its audience
Mina's hilarious account of the runaway wheelbarrow had the whole table laughing.
Words to choose between 7
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday |
|
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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playful
hysterical
Fits when informal speech calls for maximum comic enthusiasm
Careful Hysterical can trivialize real distress and sounds exaggerated in formal writing.
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playful
side-splitting
Fits when deliberate comic exaggeration suits a casual recommendation
Careful The idiom feels promotional when the humor is dry or restrained.
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everyday
Fits when ordinary amusement is enough
Careful Funny is much broader and may understate sustained, intense laughter.
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professional
Fits when clever language or ideas produce the humor
Careful Witty comedy may prompt admiration rather than helpless laughter.
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formal
comical
Fits when a situation appears amusingly absurd
Careful Comical can sound detached and may imply laughing at someone.
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literary
Fits when odd, understated wit is the particular appeal
Careful Droll is too quiet for something loudly hilarious.
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literary
Fits when loud collective laughter is part of the scene
Careful Uproarious describes the response or atmosphere more than subtle humor.
Opposites 3
- humorless
- tedious
- tragic
Common phrases 3
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hilarious story
Her hilarious story gave every mishap a generous ending.
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absolutely hilarious
The improvised weather forecast was absolutely hilarious.
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hilarious moment
A hilarious moment arrived when both puppets lost the same hat.
Word family 1
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Wodencafe, Texas accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC0 Updated