The English language is pretty wild. And by that, we mean that it contains some wacky words that seem too weird to be real, yet absolutely are. So if you appreciate a varied vocabulary and would like to embrace a wider range of words, then you’re in luck! We can help you bumfuzzle your friends with the funniest words that are undeniably fanty-sheeny and will leave you in a finifugal mood. If you don’t believe us—or have any clue what that means—then take a peek below to learn about the funniest words in the English language and how to use them.
1. Brouhaha
If you tweet something divisive the generates a lot of conversation, you might say that you started a bit of a brouhaha. That’s a way better word for it than «commotion» or «uproar.»
Example: «Her speech started a brouhaha on all the 24-hour news channels.»
2. Pettifogger
You’ve seen them in movies and on local commercials: lawyers who are willing to do anything to score a client or get a win. In other words, pettifoggers.
Example: «The prosecution’s pettifogger called some pretty shady witnesses.»
3. Sozzled
Hammered. Wrecked. Drunk. Forget all those boring words for being intoxicated—»sozzled» makes it sound almost sophisticated.
Example: «Don’t let him order another drink, he’s already sozzled.»
4. Wassail
If you enjoy warmed, spiced wine, you can get sozzled on wassail.
Example:
5. Inkle
Okay, so maybe this one only comes up in conversation if you’re a weaver, but it’s still a funny word. According to Merriam-Webster, an inkle is «a colored linen tape or braid woven on a very narrow loom and used for trimming.»
Example: «My inkle won’t stay in place!»
6. Mollycoddle
Have a lot of siblings? Your parents probably mollycoddle the youngest, meaning that they baby and indulge them, no matter what they do.
Example: «Stop mollycoddling her, she’s a grown woman!»
7. Skirl
If you travel to Scotland (or go to a Scottish pride event), you’ll almost certainly hear someone skirl, i.e. play the bagpipes.
Example: «Let’s get closer, the bagpipers are about to start skirling.»
8. Hoosegow
A wild night out could land you in the hoosegow for breaking the law. It’s just a funny word for jail!
Example: «Come on, we’ve gotta bail him out of the hoosegow.»
9. Rigmarole
Try to do anything with a government agency and it’ll be a lot of rigmarole. That can either mean a lot of circular discussion or just a generally tedious ordeal.
Example: «Let’s get the rigmarole of the paperwork taken care of.»
10. Impignorate
Despite the reputation of the animal within this word, impignorate actually means to pawn off or mortgage something in your possession.
Example: «I’m going to impignorate this watch for some extra cash.»
11. Bumfuzzle
We all find ourselves confused and flustered from time to time, perhaps even to the point where we might describe ourselves as perplexed. But if those words don’t quite capture your bewildered state of mind, then you may want to use the term bumfuzzle.
Example: «That movie was bumfuzzling and left me, well, bumfuzzled.»
12. Winklepicker
While a winklepicker sounds like it should refer to someone who picks winkles (whatever those might be), a winklepicker is, in fact, a shoe or boot that features a sharp-pointed toe.
Example: «I’ve been looking for the perfect winklepicker to go with these pants.»
13. Hullaballoo
A perfect example of a word that sounds like its meaning, hullaballoo refers to a ruckus or uproar that’s on the unpleasant side.
Example: «The hullaballoo was totally wild.»
14. Argle-bargle
Blah, blah, blah, some people like to drone on for as long as others are willing to listen and there are those particular kinds of mind-numbing conversations that never seem to end. Meaningless arguments and worthless chatter—whether done by talking or writing—is called argle-bargle.
Example: «This is just a bunch of pointless argle-bargle.»
15. Doodlesack
Scottish musicians are well-known for their skill with the bagpipes, but they’re not as famous for their talents with the doodlesack. And that’s kind of funny considering this funniest word is just another word for bagpipes.
Example: «What songs do you like to play on a doodlesack?»
16. Gobbledygook
Slang is one thing, but people who indulge in gobbledygook are a lot like turkeys who also gobble, gobble, gobble, or use language that is basically incomprehensible.
Example: «He sure likes to go on and on with the gobbledygook.»
17. Eeksie-peeksie
If you like everything in your world to be perfectly balanced or appreciate even numbers and identical amounts, then you like things to be eeksie-peeksie, which is a term for equal.
Example: «I think it should be eeksie-peeksie for each of us.»
18. Nudiustertian
No one would blame you for thinking that nudiusterian had something to do with being naked, perhaps representing a cheeky lifestyle that rejects clothes. But the word has nothing to do with showing off your body. Instead, it refers to the day before yesterday.
Example: «I went to work on that nudiustertian morning.
19. Gardyloo
Although we no longer toss garbage out of the windows the way people did years ago, it’s still helpful to know that if you hear someone shout «gardyloo» then you better watch out for flying trash, since that’s the appropriate warning to use.
Example: «Gardyloo and watch out!»
20. Tittynope
This is another word that might make you blush until you find out its perfectly innocent meaning. Tittynope is what you call a small amount of something that’s simply leftover.
Example: «There’s a tittynope of sugar in the bowl.»
21. Lackadaisical
If you know someone who’s rather lazy and fails to show any sort of enthusiasm or ambition, then they’re lackadaisical. It’s probably one of the funniest words because of all those syllables.
Example: «My coworker never gets his work done because he’s lackadaisical.»
22. Snickersnee
Snickersnee is certainly a funny word, but the item behind its meaning is no joke. The term refers to a large (and obviously super sharp) knife.
Example: «That’s not a snickersnee. This is a snickersnee.»
23. Flibbertigibbet
Some people are unreliable and don’t seem to be bothered by their own silly vibe. And while we generally accept that they’re the flighty ones among us, you could also call that certain someone a flibbertigibbet.
Example: «My flibbertigibbet friend failed to show up again.»
24. Fanty-sheeny
If you like the finer things in life—and to show them off—then you appreciate anything that’s fanty-sheeny, which is a word that can be used for someone or something that’s fancy or even ostentatious.
Example: «Her house was filled with fanty-sheeny furniture.»
25. Cattywampus
If something is askew, awry, or lined up in a way that’s not totally straight, such as diagonally—basically, slightly off-center or not quite right—then it’s not just annoying, you could say it’s cattywampus.
Example: «The books on the desk are all cattywampus.»
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26. Woebegone
If you know that «woe» is a word for sadness, then it might seem like woebegone is a term for wanting sadness to go away. But since «begone» is actually an old word for being within something, it turns out that woebegone is actually one of the funniest words for being in a sad state.
Example: «He was left woebegone, but hopeful.»
27. Taradiddle
It may seem like pretentious nonsense to use as silly of a word as taradiddle to describe, well, pretentious nonsense, but it would certainly suitable since that’s exactly what taradiddle means.
Example: «His stories are more taradiddle than truth.»
28. Maltipoo
The next time you’re thinking about getting a new pet, perhaps you’ll consider a Maltipoo, which is a cross-breed originating from a Maltese terrier and a miniature or toy poodle. Otherwise, you could also consider a Puggle (a pug and beagle mix) or a Dorgi (a dachshund and corgi cross).
Example: «I just adopted the cutest Maltipoo puppy.»
29. Wabbit
Cartoon character Elmer Fudd was famous for calling Bugs Bunny a «wascally wabbit,» which we assumed was because of his particular way of speaking. But perhaps he was actually using the word wabbit, which means weary or exhausted.
Example: «You wabbit rabbit.»
30. Borborygmus
When your insides make a little noise, you can accurately call that borborygmus. That’s the word for the noisy rumbling and gurgling that comes from your midsection. It’s caused by fluids or gas moving in your intestines.
Example: «Can you hear my belly borborygmus?»
31. Funambulism
If you’re looking for a new pastime and prefer extreme endeavors, you could take up skydiving or white water rafting. But you might want to try funambulism instead, which is another way to say tightrope walking.
Example: «I always thought funambulism looked fun—but I’m afraid of heights, so no thanks.»
32. Widdershins
Counterclockwise is rather fun to say, but take things up a notch wonky word-wise when referring to which way you’re heading by saying that your walking widdershins, which is another word for counterclockwise.
Example: «I took a path widdershins through the forest.»
33. Collywobbles
If you’re experiencing stomach pain or queasiness, whether it’s due to illness or anxiety, then you’re feeling collywobbles, a term for that icky feeling.
Example: «I have some collywobbles happening in my tummy.»
34. Quomodocunquizing
While the word looks rather complicated, it’s meaning is simple. Quomodocunquizing is a way to describe something (or someone) who makes money in any way possible.
Example: «He’s a quomodocunquizing businessperson.»
35. Diphthong
When you combine two vowel sounds together in one word to create something a little different, then you’re using a diphthong.
Example: «The sound ‘oy’ in boy or toy is a diphthong. So is the ‘ou’ in you or loud.»
36. Bloviate
If you were given the task of coming up with a word to describe a person who likes to ramble on, then you might opt for something like bloviate, which is the perfect term for your local windbag.
Example: «That guy couldn’t resist bloviating at the party.»
37. Gubbins
While gibbons are the adorable primates that spend their days swinging through the rain forest, gubbins is something totally different. Instead of being cute creatures, they’re miscellaneous bits and pieces or gadgets.
Example: «The drawer is filled with random gubbins.»
38. Blatherskite
There are plenty of terms for people who like to use words to their full extent (or perhaps even overuse language), which is why we also have blatherskite to describe the kind of person who can’t self-edit and cares more about making noise than making sense.
Example: «My ex is a boring blatherskite.»
39. Snollygoster
Any time you cross paths with someone who’s a snollygoster, then it’s time to head in the other direction. Although they may be a person who’s shrewd, they’re also more likely to be the villain than the hero, which means you’ll want to be wary.
Example: «My nemesis is a snollygoster.»
40. Finifugal
Finifugal is not only a fear of finishing things, it’s also the term you can put into use any time you get the desire to prolong a final moment or prevent a seemingly inevitable ending.
Example: «I have a finifugal vibe towards this funniest words article I’m reading on Best Life.
These are the words that I find the most fun to use, whether it be in speaking or writing, and by sprinkling a few of them into your daily vocabulary, you will almost certainly add humor to your life.
It is not an exhaustive list, nor is the definition of “fun” based on anything other than my own amusement, but I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless.
1. Howdy
Howdy is an informal greeting that is generally associated with Texas and other southwestern states. This particularly fun word can be used to spice up greetings with close friends and acquaintances.
“Howdy, partner. How about you and I take a trip to the rodeo this afternoon.”
2. Palsy-Walsy
Palsy-walsy is an adjective that describes someone or something that is very friendly or intimate. Believe it or not, this phrase is almost 100 years old; the first recorded usage was in the 1930s.
“I’m palsy-walsy with all my coworkers. We get dinner outside of the office every Thursday night.”
3. Scrumptious
Scrumptious means tasty or delicious. Your favorite dish or an extremely pleasant meal could be described as “scrumptious.”
“The lobster with the lemon butter was scrumptious.”
4. Lollygag
Lollygag means to loaf about or act lazily. This fun verb is both a treat to use and to do – especially when you have important things to take care of.
“The reports are due today, but we’ll lollygag for a few hours before we get started; I say it’s the perfect work-life balance.”
5. Indubitably
The adjective form of this word, indubitable, means unquestionable or certain. Indubitably is the adverb form, which is more fun to say and can be used to express certainty about an action.
“Aaron Judge will indubitably hit a home run against the Red Sox during the game on Thursday.”
6. Fantastical
Fantastical describes something that is like a fantasy: imaginary. For the most part, people enjoy works of fantasy, and so the term has taken on a positive meaning.
“She had a beautiful, fairy-tale wedding. It was fantastical.”
7. Funky
Funky is an adjective that has two primary definitions:
First, it describes a rhythm or music – think of the funk genre. Second, it is used to characterize a strange, musty smell.
Regardless of how you use it, funky will always be fun to say.
“The mixture of sweat, deodorant, and cologne gave the men’s locker room a funky smell.”
8. Serendipity
Serendipity is a fortunate coincidence or happy accident. If you find yourself in a serendipitous situation, then things are probably going very well.
“Serendipity proved once again to be John’s close friend: he had not studied for the test, but luckily for him, the professor canceled class at the last minute.
9. Bodacious
Bodacious means excellent, admirable, or attractive. You can use this word to depict a number of pleasant objects or experiences.
“I bought the car at a bodacious price – 50% off!”
10. Bonkers
To call something bonkers is to say that it is crazy or unbelievable.
“Are you bonkers? Everyone knows that Interstellar is Matthew McConaughey’s best movie; not How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.”
11. Rad
Rad, or radical, is another way to call something cool, awesome, or great. While this word is used less today than it was in the 1980s and 1990s, it still retains its fun.
“The new Porsche body style is rad.”
12. Frazzle
A frazzled person is someone who is anxious, tired, worn down, or fatigued. It derives its meaning from frayed rope or fabric. While the definition possesses a negative connotation, the word is still great fun to roll off the tongue.
“Ms. Smith’s energetic third grade class wore her down to a frazzle at the day’s end.”
13. Dazzle
If something dazzles you, you are either overpowered with a brilliant light or deeply impressed. This word is both fun to say and a good addition to your vocabulary.
“The rendition of the Nutcracker was a dazzling performance despite the dancer’s frazzled appearance.”
A dazzling light
14. Quack
Quack can mean the sound a duck makes or a meritless medical doctor. The former definition always makes for good fun to imitate while the latter is used as an insult.
“Doctor Morris prescribed snake oil for your cough? He might be a quack.”
15. Tummy
Tummy is another word for stomach or abdomen. The term is usually reserved for children to use, but it is still fun to say when trying to vary your vocabulary.
“That pasta was yummy in my tummy.”
16. Sizzle
Sizzle is the sound certain objects make when exposed to heat – particularly food. The example that comes to mind most often is bacon. This word is classified as an onomatopoeia because its pronunciation mimics the sound it describes.
“The bacon fat sizzled when I placed it on the pan.”
Bacon sizzling in a pan. Can you hear it?
17. Jiggle
Merriam-Webster defines jiggle as a verb meaning “to cause to move with quick little jerks or oscillating motions.” Jiggle is a delight to use humorously.
“John tapped the Jell-O with his spoon and watched it jiggle back and forth.”
18. Rambunctious
Rambunctious means full of energy or difficult to control. This word is most commonly used to describe energetic children.
“Ms. Smith did not have the energy to keep up with her rambunctious students.”
19. Saucy
If you’re European, a saucy person might mean that you’ve met someone rude or disrespectful. If you’re in North America, a saucy individual might be bold and well-dressed.
“Did you see John’s new jacket? That saucy fellow looks sharp.”
20. Eureka
Eureka is an exclamation of great satisfaction or relief. According to legend, the term was shouted by the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes when he discovered a method of determining the purity of gold.
“Eureka! I’ve discovered the cure to the common cold.”
Eureka! That’s a great idea.
21. Golly
Golly, like eureka, is an exclamation. It is used to express delight, surprise, or disappointment in a situation. You can consider it a one-stop shop for exclamations, although it has fallen out of use in recent times.
“Golly! Did you get me a bicycle for my birthday? I sure appreciate that.”
22. Sloshed
Sloshed is a word that you would use to describe inebriated friends. Think of it as a step above drunk but not quite at the level of a college fraternity party. This word is fun to use, although you may regret it the next morning.
“After three beers I’ll be sloshed. I’m a lightweight when it comes to alcohol.”
23. Flabbergasted
Flabbergasted means greatly surprised.
“I was flabbergasted by the party. It was a perfect surprise – I was speechless.”
24. Jeez
Jeez, like golly, is an exclamation that has fallen out of use lately, but it is still fun to say for its unique pronunciation. It is primarily used for expressing mild surprise or annoyance.
“Jeez-Louise! Those bagel bites are hot. I think I burnt my tongue.”
25. Scoundrel
A scoundrel is a dishonest or immoral person. While you can probably think of other names to describe such individuals, this word is both forceful, descriptive, and full of character. Consider adding it to your vocabulary.
“Doctor Morris stole funds from the hospital? That scoundrel!”
26. Boogie
Boogie got its start as a style of blues, but now it is used as a general term for dance. Boogie is another word of a bygone era, but don’t let that stop you from hitting the dance floor.
“I boogied all night at Dave’s wedding.”
27. Scoot
Scoot is a verb that means to slide or move over. If you want a seat on a bench, you might ask someone to scoot over to make room.
“Would you mind scooting over so I could sit? There’s still no space; keep scooting. Scoot scoot scoot. That’s perfect, thank you.”
28. Chic
Chic means well dressed and fashionable. A wardrobe that consists of designer clothes would be considered chic.
“His faux-ostrich-hide-pleather belt was designed in Milan. It’s so chic.”
29. Scandalous
Scandalous is a word used to describe an event as outrageous, offensive, or in poor taste. While the word retains its serious meaning, it has developed a light-hearted connotation in some situations.
30. Aficionado
An aficionado is a person who is an expert in their past time, hobby, or subject matter. This is a great term to use when you need a synonym for expert or connoisseur.
“Addison, a true chocolate aficionado, can name every Swiss and German chocolatier in business today.”
31. Jubilee
A jubilee is an event celebrating 25 (silver), 40 (ruby), 50 (golden), 60 (diamond), 65 (sapphire), and 70 (platinum) years of activity. You may have heard this word used during the Queen of England’s platinum jubilee, which she celebrated in early 2022. This is a fantastic term for adding elegance to milestones in your life.
“My grandmother and grandfather celebrate their golden jubilee anniversary in March. They’ve been married for 50 years.
The Queen of England’s platinum jubilee celebration
32. Juicy
Juicy describes a food that is full of liquid or moisture. It can also be used to describe an interesting piece of gossip.
“Oranges are juiciest when they’re freshly picked.”
33. Phalanges
The definition of phalanges might be mundane, but no one can deny how fun it is to say it. In anatomy, it is another word for the bone of a finger or toe. In other contexts, it can refer to a formation of police or troops.
“What’s the deal with chicken fingers? Do they even have phalanges?”
34. Gooey
Gooey is an adjective that defines an object as soft and sticky. Most people, excluding children, dislike touching gooey substances.
“I made gooey slime for my science fair project. Ah gross, it’s stuck to my fingers.”
35. Sham
A sham is something that is falsely portrayed or a lie. This can be a fun word to use when expressing annoyance at being deceived.
“That two-for-one deal was a sham. The cost came out to be the exact same.”
36. Bamboozle
To be bamboozled means you were fooled or tricked. Most people would not use this word today, but it could be a silly alternative to create a lively conversation.
“How was I to know that he was a card sharp? I can’t believe he bamboozled out of $50 bucks with those tricks.”
37. Shenanigans
A shenanigan is a fun word used to describe a prank or mischievous behavior. Despite being considered an outdated word, it is used more today than when it was first coined in the mid-1800s. Don’t expect to hear it in serious conversation, although it may pop up when people are in a playful mood.
Darius is up to his shenanigans again; he unscrewed the cap to the salt and pepper shakers.”
38. Jibber-Jabber
Jibber-jabber is another archaic phrase that is making a comeback. It means to quickly talk back and forth or to talk on an unimportant subject.
“Enough jibber-jabber. Let’s get down to business; these stock prices aren’t going to discuss themselves.”
39. Jabberwocky
Jabberwocky is an invented, nonsensical, or meaningless language. The term was coined by Lewis Carrol in his poem by the same name. It is an interesting word that can be used to describe anything that you find to be nonsense.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
— The first stanza of the Jabberwocky by Lewis Carrol
40. Malarkey
Some readers may recognize this word from our “Joe Biden Teaches Slang” article. Check it out if you haven’t already. Anyway, malarkey is an expression used to describe something as disingenuous or nonsense.
“The Earth is flat you say? As a NASA scientist, I think that’s total malarkey’”
41. Catawampus
This fun-sounding word has a beastly definition: it describes an imaginary, fierce, and wild animal. According to Merriam-Webster, it can also mean to go askew or awry.
“I planned a surprise party for Sarah, but things went catawampus when Jake spilled the beans during breakfast.”
42. Stupendous
Stupendous is used to praise something as fantastic, great, or impressive.
“Our pilot landed the plane in a hurricane. That was stupendous flying on his part.”
43. Frolic
If you ask Oxford Languages what it means to frolic, it will tell you that frolicking is to “play or move about cheerfully, excitedly, or energetically. Frolicking means the same thing as lollicking and rollicking, in case you were wondering.
“I felt fantastic yesterday in the ocean air; I frolicked on the beach as if I were a child again.”
A child frolicking on the beach
44. Boisterous
A boisterous person will be loud, rowdy, and (hopefully) cheerful. When describing the weather, boisterous means extremely windy. You now have a fun word to use for your rambunctious friends or for a particularly breezy day.
“I love going to hockey games with Randy. His boisterous persona helps the players get their heads in the game.”
45. Pandowdy
Pandowdy is a type of baked good that closely resembles an apple pie. You may not have any use for this word unless you work at a bakery, but I would encourage everyone to work it into a sentence at least once a day.
“I could use a spiced apple dessert. Anyone up for a pandowdy.”
46. Bonanza
Our friends at Merriam-Webster tell us that bonanza has two definitions: The first is narrow and related to mining: “an exceptionally large and rich mineral deposit.” The second, broader definition derives its meaning from the first. It means “something that is very valuable, profitable, and rewarding.” Bonanza is also an American western TV show that aired from 1959 to 1973.
“The mattress sale bonanza ends today. Go now to get a great discount before it’s too late.”
47. Pawky
Pawky is a term used to describe someone with a shrewd or cynical sense of humor. If you know a person that is witty in their criticisms, you can accurately call them pawky.
“Mohammad’s pawky remarks about the movie’s poor plot had the car roaring with laughter.”
48. Peewee
Peewee means tiny or small. It is usually reserved for describing children, and in particular, children’s sports leagues. The usage can be stretched to cover anything you find tiny, and using this word will bring you more than a peewee amount of laughter.
“Hey John, I heard your son won a peewee league trophy. I didn’t know they let 4-year-olds play basketball.”
49. Groovy
Groovy is a word synonymous with the 70s and hippie culture. When you call something groovy, you are saying that it is “awesome” or “fantastic”.
“Hey, I heard you started a new band. That’s groovy.”
Now that’s a groovy van
50. Piffle
Piffle is an interesting word because it is a noun that means nonsense. This definition combined with the parts of speech leads to some hilarious sentences.
“Fred’s piffle about the anatomy of chickens and the lack of fingers is starting to make sense, I think.”
51. Ragamuffin
A ragamuffin is a child that is dressed in ragged or dirty clothes.
“Melissa you’ve worn that outfit for four days in a row. You’re starting to look like a ragamuffin.”
52. Rhapsody
Rhapsody has two definitions: an outburst of emotional feeling, and a poem in ancient Greek culture meant to be recited, at least in part, during one sitting. This word could be a fun way for you to describe the singing you do in the car.
“With tears in my eyes, I rhapsodized to the crowd about the need to be a more caring society.”
53. Worrywart
True to its name, a worrywart is a person who worries excessively or unnecessarily. Be sure to add this to your vocabulary if you have an over-worrier in your life. Plus, worrywart is an alliteration, and alliterations are always fun to use.
“Of course, I’ll wear a helmet when I ride my motorcycle. Don’t be such a worrywart.”
54. Persnickety
Persnickety characterizes a person who is fussy or finicky over small things. Perhaps you know a persnickety eater who needs every meal to be perfect.
“Jennifer’s persnickety approach to car interior ensures that it stays as clean as the day she bought it.”
55. Rapscallion
A rapscallion is a mischievous person. This could describe a prankster or a more serious hooligan, but either way, it is a great word to keep around.
“Hannah, the little rapscallion, put a whoopie cushion under my chair.”
56. Pettifog
Returning to our trusted Merriam-Webster definitions, pettifogging is “to quibble over petty details” and “to engage in legal chicanery.” While no one knows what chicanery means, we all understand petty quibbling. Use this word to at least make the pettifogging fun.
“We pettifogged all night about the contract. She wanted to sign her name first, but I absolutely would not stand for it.”
57. Bungalow
A bungalow is a small, one-story house, cottage, or hut. This word is a must for anyone looking to spice up their vocabulary. Say it a few times in a sing-song voice to get the full effect.
“Despite the millions of dollars she made selling her textile company, the former CEO refused to live an exorbitant lifestyle of fast cars and big mansions, instead opting for a bungalow on the beach.
58. Dongle
Dongle is a hilarious word for no other reason than the sound it makes. What is a dongle you may ask? It is an adaptor device of sorts that connects to other devices and increases their functionality. If you own an iPhone, you probably received a dongle that connects the lighting port to a headphone jack
“Did someone borrow my dongle? I need that back or else I can’t listen to jams in my car.”
Items that could be classified as dongles
59. Banjo
Many people are familiar with a banjo: it is a stringed instrument that resembles a guitar and is played by plucking and strumming. It is featured most often in American folk music. What makes this a fun word to use, and why you should add it to your vocabulary, is that it is the most unique name for an instrument in the English language – at least in my opinion.
“The rustic twangs of the banjo are a staple at the county fair, where live music is performed by members of the Appalachian community.”
60. Rascal
Rascal is a term used to affectionately describe a misbehaved child.
“Ah those little rascals – they tracked mud through the house again, but I still love them.”
Want to learn more?
If you want to learn more funny English words, head over to the ReDefiners website and check our English classes! We offer courses for both children and adults. Our unique curriculum specializes in teaching language through online courses and group class conversations. You can begin learning immediately by signing up for classes twice a week and participating in group sessions for real, practical conversation experience. We offer classes in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic. For more information, please visit our online program page or email us at info@redefinerswl.org.
Antagonyms. Words that have two opposing definitions.
Antioxymoron List. The best list of antioxymora (antioxymorons) anywhere.
Ask Your Doctor. Medical jargon that doesn’t make sense.
Bundle Words. Words that can be broken apart into other words, with some humor.
Bundle Words Aloud. Bundle Words that get their humor when pronounced differently.
Butterflies. Word and word phrases looked at differently.
Collective Nouns. Taking the pun approach to what you call groups of things.
Contraps. Word opposite in meaning working together in a sentence.
Daffynitions. Funny definitions for not so funny words.
Demeaned Words. Words that look like they might have some other meaning.
De-tours. Fun with words that begin with “de.”
Dis-connections. Fun with words that begin with “dis.”
Dittograms. Sentences containing consecutive homonyms or homonymic phrases
Er-rant Words. Fun with words that begin with “er.”
Fighting Words. Words of war.
Fractured Definitions. Sentences showing ambiguous word meanings.
Ghost Words. Words that suggest other words that should exist but don’t.
Hyp-hens. Sentences take on new meanings when words are hyphenated incorrectly.
Imps and Ages. Bundle Words that begin with the syllable “imp” as well as those ending with “age.”
Job Jokes. Getting a laugh out of job titles.
Loose Language. Poking fun at literary jargon.
Mock Antonyms. Pairs of words that look like antonyms but are not.
Curious Words. Like Wonder Words, these words make you think.
Negafixes. Fun words you get when you lop off the negating prefixes
Oxymoron List. The best list of oxymora (oxymorons) anywhere on the Internet.
Phantom Antonyms. Words that suggest antonyms that aren’t in the dictionary.
Prefix Mixups. The wrong take on prefixed words.
Prime Rhymes. Phrases with rhyming words with rhymed meanings.
Punishing Adjectives. Adjectives that put a pun to work.
Re-collections. Fun with words that begin with “re.”
Say Again. Words that may suggest different meanings if pronounced incorrectly.
Sport Orts. A humorous look at sports jargon.
Thingamagigs. Things get funny names.
Tom Swiftlies. “Punning quotations,” Tom cited.
Un-real Meanings. Fun with words that begin with “un.”
What Do You Call…. Poking fun at occupations.
Wonder Phrases. Phrases that make you wonder about their meaning.
Wonder Words. Words that make you wonder about their meaning.
If you think about it, “understand”
is a funny word. Unlike “underarm” or “undercook” it does not make a lot
of sense. You have to wonder what standing has to do with comprehension. And why under?
More curious is trying to figure out the opposite of understand. Is it underlie, overstand,
or overlie? Or maybe it’s ununderstand,
or just plain derstand.
There are lots of funny words in English, like
“partake” which looks like it has something to do with golf, or “bigamist”
which suggests a person with a sizeable problem, or “cockpit” which just begs to be
fooled with. The word “improper” is funny if you split the word after the
first p (imagine someone who lassoes little demons.)
But making fun of a word often requires that we ignore the word’s
etymology—otherwise the amusement might be lost to reason. For example, the word
“surgery” begs the question “what surges?” In fact, the word evolved
from an old French word surigien with roots in old English as
chirurgeon which came from the Greek cheirourgos
(cheir, hand + ergon, work.) That history
may be interesting, but not very funny.
Why don’t we put pants in the pantry? An amusing question—but not if you are aware
that the origin of the word “pantry” is from the Middle English panetrie
meaning “bread room” borrowed from the Old French paneterie the root of
which comes from the Latin word for bread, panis. Meanwhile the origin
of “pants” is from Pantaleon, the name of a 4th-century saint who was favored by Venetians who,
consequently, became known as Pantaloni. In the 17th century, the French used the word
pantalon to refer to a particular style of tights resembling that worn
by an old Venetian in an Italian play. The word for tight fitting trousers came to
the English as “pantaloons” and by 1850 was shortened to “pants.”
To be amused by the absurd looking word “unless” you must forget, or be unaware,
that it comes from the phrase “upon less” and that it has nothing to do with the
prefix “un.” In general, to be tickled by odd looking words you must ignore
the tug of times and tongues on their meanings. That is why there is no consideration of
word etymologies in this Fun with Words.
All the words being poked fun at here are real dictionary words. There are no made-up
or misspelled words like punderful or punnishing.
You won’t find here, for example, a warped definition for
“impasse” as a demon’s butt because it would have to be spelled
impass, or a mock antonym for “stagnation”
as “donation” because it would have to be doenation.
When made-up words do appear in this compilation to show the humor of an actual word
(such as beforemath, the Phantom
Antonym of “aftermath”), they appear in italics.
This collection also does not deal with verbal play on words like “the
peepholes choice,” nor does it toy with nearly similar sounding words like “salary”
and “celery,” or substituted homonyms like “cache” for “cash.”
All these kinds of playful oral twists may be entertaining but their number is astronomical and beyond cataloging.
However, the words that do appear in these pages should be enough to tickle your humorous humerus.
Listed below are all the categories of word humor contained at this
site, each with a brief explanation. The list is also provided in the menu button at top of each page .
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