Sometimes, emotions can be mixed. It can be difficult to know whether you should be happy or sad in certain situations. This article will explore some good words you can use to refer to things that are sad and funny at the same time (even if they shouldn’t be).
The best words for something that is sad and funny at the same time are “tragicomic,” “bittersweet,” and “wry.” These are great to show that someone is having difficulty accepting the sadness of a situation. They allow someone to find humor or comedy in adversity.
1. Tragicomic
“Tragicomic” is a great word to use in this situation. It shows that something is both tragic (sad) and comedic (funny). It often relates to a play or your life; as long as the events are so sad you can’t help but laugh at them.
The word originates from a type of play known as “tragicomedy.” These plays are designed to feature death and disaster while also making light of the situation for a few laughs.
The definition of “tragicomic,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “a (type of) play or story that is both sad and fun.”
- My life is so tragicomic. I just wish something positive would finally happen to me without worrying about the negatives after.
- I’m not sure why it’s so tragicomic, but I know I can’t do anything to change it. This is just how things have to do.
- That play was tragicomic until the very end. I really enjoyed it, and I hope we get a chance to watch it again soon.
2. Bittersweet
“Bittersweet” means that someone is both sad and happy. It’s possible to find humor in a bittersweet situation if you’re willing to look for it. It’s common for people to struggle with overlapping and opposite emotions with bittersweet instances.
The definition of “bittersweet,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “containing a mixture of sadness and happiness.”
- This is a truly bittersweet situation. On the one hand, I’m so happy for you. On the other, I’m disappointed it came to this.
- It’s so bittersweet, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do to make myself feel better about everything going on.
- I don’t mean to be bittersweet, but have you considered all the options yet? I feel like you’re overlooking some stuff.
3. Wry
“Wry” shows that you willingly find humor in negative situations. You can use it when you find difficult situations funnier than most people. It often means you use humor as a defense mechanism to stop yourself from feeling too vulnerable.
The definition of “wry,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “showing that you find a bad or difficult situation slightly funny.”
- He has that wry look on his face. It shows that he’s struggling with his emotions and can’t help but laugh at this difficult time.
- I have a wry sense of humor. I try to make people laugh at the worst possible times, and I hate myself for doing that.
- You’re too wry for your own good. One of these days, you’re going to get in a lot of trouble. You’ve got to be careful.
4. Ambivalent
“Ambivalent” is a great alternative to use here. It means you have two opposing feelings and don’t know how you’re supposed to feel. Naturally, this extends to feeling sad and entertained at the same time.
It’s common for people with ambivalent emotions to laugh at the worst times.
The definition of “ambivalent,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “having two opposing feelings at the same time, or being uncertain about how you feel.”
- I have ambivalent emotions about this. I know I should be sad, but I can’t help but find some comfort in all of it.
- It’s a bit too ambivalent right now. I don’t know how I’m supposed to take any of this. I wish there was something I could do.
- I don’t want my ambivalent emotions to get in the way of this. I want things to work out nicely for us in the end.
5. Equivocal
“Equivocal” is a formal alternative that shows you are experiencing opposite emotions. If you’re not sure how to handle your emotions, you might find a situation sad and funny. For example, laughing at a funeral would be an equivocal emotion.
The definition of “equivocal,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “not clear and seeming to have two opposing meanings, or confusing and able to be understood in two different ways.”
- Why are you being so equivocal right now? Do you not realize that things are getting a lot more positive? You don’t have to be sad.
- I’m experiencing some equivocal emotions. I feel like I should be much sadder than I am, but I can’t help feeling excited.
- I’m not deliberately equivocal. I’m just finding it tricky to come up with a reason why this should be difficult.
6. Ironic
“Ironic” is a great way to refer to two opposite emotions. Since “sad” and “funny” are opposing, “ironic” works well here. It shows that things aren’t really as they seem, and it’s possible to view a situation in the opposite regard, depending on the context.
The definition of “ironic,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “showing that you really mean the opposite of what you are saying.”
- It’s quite ironic that you thought this was going to be a positive situation. Clearly, things haven’t worked out that well.
- I knew it was going to be ironic, but I didn’t realize how bad it would get until I experienced it. I hate this.
- It sounds a bit too ironic to me. I don’t know what’s happening. I wish it was easier for me to manage my emotions.
7. Emotional
“Emotional” means someone is having a hard time coming to grips with their emotions. It’s a great way to demonstrate that someone is expressing very strong emotions (both positive and negative).
You can use this as a general word to refer to happiness and sadness. It’s especially effective if someone doesn’t know how to handle their situation and laughs while crying.
The definition of “emotional,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “having and expressing strong feelings.”
- I’m very emotional right now and need some time to process this stuff. I want you to leave me alone while I sort it out.
- Stop being so emotional. There’s nothing wrong with being happy and sad at the same time. You just have to accept that.
- She’s too emotional for her own good. She never knows how to process things like this because she doesn’t allow herself to do so.
8. Droll
“Droll” is a great alternative to use here. It shows that someone finds something funny, especially when it’s not supposed to be. You can relate this to a sad situation that someone is trying to put a humorous spin on.
The definition of “droll,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “humorous, especially in an unusual way.”
- Why did you make such a droll comment? Now, I have no idea whether you’re happy or sad. You’ve got to help me out here.
- What made all of this so droll? Isn’t there anything you can do to make things a little more manageable moving forward?
- I wish it wasn’t this droll, but I’m afraid that’s just how things go. Sometimes, it’s hard to manage your expectations properly.
9. Contradiction
“Contradiction” refers to any two things that oppose each other. If you feel two different emotions at the same time, you are likely feeling “contradicted emotions.”
You can use “contradiction” to show that you don’t know how to manage or handle your emotions appropriately. It’s great to show that you aren’t able to figure out how you’re supposed to feel.
The definition of “contradiction,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “the fact of something being the complete opposite of something else or very different from something else, so that one of them must be wrong.”
- My emotions are nothing short of a contradiction right now. I have no idea how to manage them in a situation like this.
- This is such a contradiction. It’s supposed to be a sad situation, but everyone seems to be finding it amusing.
- I don’t get the contradiction they’re posing here. They want people to laugh, but everyone just seems to want to cry.
10. Mixed
“Mixed” works well when referring to two emotions that shouldn’t overlap each other but do anyway. “Mixed emotions” are always hard to deal with, and they can relate to situations that are both sad and funny.
The definition of “mixed,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “showing a mixture of different feelings or opinions.”
- It’s a mixed reaction, which is what I expected, to be honest. I knew some people would struggle and others wouldn’t mind.
- Why is the reaction so mixed? Surely, there’s something I can do that’ll help people to come to a better conclusion.
- My emotions are always mixed in situations like this. I want to laugh, but I know that it’s not okay while everyone is so sad.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
Have you ever heard the expression, a laugh is the same in every language?
Comedy is incredibly important. And although sense of humor may vary with each person that you talk to, it’s nice to be able to describe exactly how something makes you feel.
England, for example, is famous for a drier, more sarcastic sense of humor. In the United States, you’ll probably encounter more obvious jokes or even slapstick comedy (a type of broad physical comedy involving exaggerated, boisterous actions, farce, violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense). And in Australia, a unique blend of the two with a twist of their own unique “Aussieness” is added!
This article is going to show you exactly how to describe everything that makes you laugh in English.
Are you ready to laugh your socks off? Well here are 20 different terms for FUNNY to help you get started!
These terms and expressions are organized from drier humor to those that describe things that make you laugh out loud (LOL).
Diverting –
This is a cognate from Latin languages that exists, but is very uncommon. In English it means something that “diverts” your attention and entertains you.
- Example: I don’t think Breaking Bad is that funny, but it’s certainly diverting.
Entertaining –
Something you enjoy that makes you happy (not always funny)
- Cat videos on YouTube are entertaining: I could spend hours watching them!
Amusing –
Another formal term for funny, similar to diverting or entertaining
- Reading Calvin and Hobbes comics is amusing
Droll –
Probably not something that would actually make you laugh, but that is funny from an intelligent standpoint.
- Example: British humor is rather droll even if a lot of Americans don’t understand it.
Witty –
Similar to droll, but more commonly used.
- Example: Telling witty jokes is really difficult.
Comical –
A formal term describing something that has a funny nature
- Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare is very comical once you understand it.
A hoot –
Literally the sound an owl makes (think of someone laughing like this)
- Example: That joke that Josh told us yesterday was a hoot!
A laugh –
Similar to a hoot. Often used sarcastically.
- Example: Making me walk all the way to the market in the rain because you didn’t feel like driving was a laugh.
A scream –
Similar to a hoot but it gives even more emphasis
- The Hangover is a scream! I can’t believe you haven’t seen it.
![lol]()
LOL (Laugh out loud)
Also: LMAO (laughing my ass off)/LMFAO (laughing my fucking ass off)/ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing)/haha (how you write out the sound of a laugh)
All of these are abbreviations generally used in chats that have (unfortunately) made their way into spoken English. So, instead of saying that something that someone said is funny, you can simply say L.O.L. or LOL (pronounced Loll), or any of the variations.
- Example: “Did you hear about the guy who lost the whole left side of his body in an accident? He’s all right now.” “Lol”
Goofy –
often someone who is funny because of the foolish way in which they act.
- Example: Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg are so goofy in the Dick in a Box video.
Silly –
Similar to goofy
- Example: My dad always gets silly when he drinks vodka–it’s embarrassing.
Rich
- Example: “In Spain I find that I drink more alcohol because wine is cheaper than water” “Haha, that’s rich!”
![awesome]()
Awesome/Great
A way of describing a funny situation or joke.
- Example: “A homeless guy tried to steal Dave’s phone, but when he saw how crappy it was, he said never mind.” “Haha, that’s great!”
Priceless –
when you see something that is so funny that you couldn’t set a price on seeing it.
- Example: Seeing George’s pants fall down during his speech was priceless! The whole audience couldn’t stop laughing.
Side-splitting –
something that makes you laugh so hard that it feels like the sides of your torso will break (this term might be considered a little old-fashioned today).
- Example: That comedian’s jokes are side-splitting! My ribs still hurt from laughing so much.
(Someone/something) cracks me up
- Example: Jenna Marbles cracks me up–I’ve see all of her videos.
Make (someone) die of laughter –
Something that makes you laugh so much that you think you’ll die
- Example: I die of laughter whenever Homer does something stupid in the Simpsons!
Outrageous –
Extremely funny
- Example: Barney from How I Met Your Mother is outrageous!
Hysterical –
Like outrageous, something that makes you laugh like a crazy person, or literally someone suffering from hysteria.
- Example: Have you ever seen Ricky Gervais do stand-up comedy? He’s hysterical! a
Hilarious –
Like hysterical and outrageous
- Example: Have you ever seen Natalie Portman rap? It’s one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever seen, who would have know?
Now Use What You’ve Learned!
Real life vocabulary like this is only really useful if you actually use it. So remember, put your new favorite words in Anki and use them whenever you get the chance to speak English! Joining the RealLife International Community is a great way to do this!
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Did you know the English language is the most complicated language to learn as a second language (Japanese is a close second)? Not so surprising when you think about words like, they’re, there and their. And not to mention the confusing plural nouns, like goose is geese, but moose as a plural is moose. To celebrate the beauty, the sophistication and the history of the English language there is even a holiday on April 23rd each year named English Language day (which is also William Shakespeare day – The famous English writer). While there are millions of brilliant words in the English Language, today we look at over 100 of the funniest words in the English language. I hope you love them, as much as I do!
Funny Words starting with A:
- Abibliophobia: The fear of running out of reading materials to read.
Sentence: I have so many reading materials in my house, anyone would think that I have Abibliophobia or something!
- Abozzo: A rough sketch of a drawing or a draft poem.
Sentence: I’m almost finished with my abozzo of the Eiffel tower.
- Ama: Japanese diver who dives for pearls or food.
Sentence: Amas have been diving for pearls in the Japan region for many years.
- Araba: A carriage or coach used in Turkey.
Sentence: I’m taking the araba through the city today.
- Argle-bargle: A lot of commotion or a row happening.
Sentence: What’s all this argie-bargie about?
- Aye-aye: A type of lemur which can be found in Madagascar.
Sentence: The aye-ayes are such cute little creatures.
Starting with B:
- Bamboozled: To trick or confuse someone.
Sentence: I have been bamboozled again by you.
- Blubber: This word has two meanings: It can mean to cry very loudly or could refer to excess body fat.
Blubber Sentence: Please, stop your blubbering.
- Brouhaha: An event which involves great excitement or loud confusion.
Brouhaha in a sentence: Last night’s event was such a brouhaha and nothing was achieved.
- Bumbershoot: A Bumbershoot is an old-fashioned word for an umbrella.
Bumbershoot in a sentence: Don’t forget your Bumbershoot, dear.
- Bumfuzzle: This refers to being confused.
Bumfuzzle in a Sentence: I’m completely bumfuzzled!
Starting with C:
- Cantankerous: Someone who is very grumpy.
Sentence: Our neighbour is such a Cantankerous.
- Catawampus: Something positioned diagonally.
Sentence: To get to the school, you need to walk catawampus across that park over there.
- Collywobbles (kol-ee-wob-uh lz): This is the feeling when you have a stomach ache or when you feel really nervous or scared.
Collywobbles in a sentence: This place gives me the collywobbles, let’s go!
Hilarious Words Starting with D:
- Dingy: Something that is dark and dull.
Sentence: This house looks a little dingy to me.
- Donnybrook: This refers to a fight, riot or a big brawl.
Donnybrook in a sentence: A Donnybrook broke out last night when the police when to arrest the leader of the operation.
- Doozy: Something that is really great.
Sentence: I’m having a doozy of a time at this party.
- Dweeb: This is not a nice word to call someone. It means that you think the person is boring and uninteresting.
Sentence: No-one wants to be a dweeb.
Funny Words That Start With E:
- Egad: Used as an expression of shock or amazement.
Sentence: Egad! I never thought of that!
- Eep: Another expression of surprise or fear.
Sentence: Eep! That was scary!
- Epos: Could refer to an epic poem or something that is epic.
Sentence: That poem was just epos!
Starting with F:
- Filibuster: Somone who refusing to give up the floor in a debate to prevent a vote.
Sentence: Someone get that silly filibuster out of here now!
- Flibbertigibbet (flib·ber·ti·gib·bet): Is a word used to describe someone who talks a lot or is very gossipy.
Flibbertigibbet in a sentence: Imagine sitting on a 12-hour flight with a flibbertigibbet next to you.
- Flabbergasted: To be surprised or shocked by something.
Sentence: I’m just flabbergasted to hear that.
- Formication: The feeling that ants are crawling on your skin.
Sentence: Her constant shivering could be described as a formication.
- Fuddy-duddy: Someone who is a mild-mannered person.
Sentence: He can be such a fuddy-duddy sometimes.
Starting with G:
- Gaberlunzie: A beggar that walks around town to town.
Sentence: He didn’t really have a profession, some may even call him a gaberlunzie.
- Gardyloo (gahr-dee-loo): This is a disgusting one. It refers to the cry people use to shout when they would throw their slops or droppings out of the window.
Gardyloo in a Sentence: Watch out, Gardyloo coming!
- Gazump: This word really has a specific meaning. It means to refuse to sell your house to someone who you previously agreed to sell your house to.
Sentence: I’m so happy my offer to buy the house next door was accepted, but what if I get gazumped?
- Gobbledygook: Speaking Nonsense.
Sentence: Why do you always have to speak such Gobbledygook?
- Goombah: An older friend who protects you.
Sentence: Jamie didn’t have many friends, but was glad that his grandpa could be his protector – His Goombah.
- Gubbins: These are objects of very little value like rubbish or litter.
Gubbins in a sentence: No one’s going to buy your gubbins.
Starting with H:
- Hairball: A ball of hair that a cat normally chokes out.
Sentence: Cats are cute, but I hate it when they throw-up hairballs everywhere.
- Hocus-pocus: A trick or magical spell.
Sentence: What’s all this hocus-pocus about?
- Hokey: Something is is silly or old-fashioned.
Sentence: Now that was hokey old movie to watch!
- Hootenanny: A country music party or get-together.
Sentence: I’m going to an old-fashioned Hootenanny on Saturday, would you like to come?
- Heckler: Someone who interrupts a public performance with offensive comments.
Sentence: Those footballers are always having to deal with hecklers at their matches.
Starting with I:
- Itty-Bitty: Something that is really small or tiny.
Sentence: That ladybird is so itty-bitty.
- Ickle: Something that is small and normally cute
Sentence: Look at that ickle baby dolphin!
- izzat: This relates to your personal respect and dignity.
Sentence: I’m afraid of saying that in public, as it’ll be against my izzat.
Starting with J:
- Jabberwock: Something that is complete nonsense or gibberish
Sentence: Everything he just said was complete Jabberwock.
- Jazzetry: The reading of poetry which is accompanied by jazz.
Sentence: I love reading poems, but I’ve never tried jazzetry.
- Jink: The sudden change in direction.
Sentence: He jinked out of the way, as the ball came towards him.
Fun Words Starting with K:
- Kagu: An blueish-greyish type of bird which is now an endangered species.
Sentence: The rare Kagu can be found in the Pacific island of New Caledonia.
- Kaka: A breed of parrot that can be found in New-Zealand.
Sentence: The kaka parrots are so cool!
- Kebbie: A Scottish term relating to a walking stick with a hooked end.
Sentence: Pass the old man his keebie.
- Kibble: Ground meal or gains used as animal feed.
Sentence: The chickens love this new brand of kibble.
- Kraken: A mythical sea creature.
Sentence: Just like the loch ness monster, the Kraken is a myth.
Starting with L:
- La-di-da: If you described someone as “La-di-da”, you are suggesting that they are upper-class or behaving unnaturally only to impress other people.
La-di-da in a sentence: She thinks she is all La-di-da, but I know what she’s really like.
- Lol: Short for laughing out loud. Mosting used on social media and in text messages.
Sentence: Lol – That’s so funny!
- Lollygagger: Someone who walks around with no aim or goal.
Sentence: They spent their summer lying about, eating and general lollygagging.
- Lickety-split: When something moves really fast.
Sentence: He was out of the door lickety-split.
Starting with M:
- Malarkey: An informal word for talking about meaningless things or nonsense.
Malarkey in a sentence: This is all malarkey, I tell ya!
- Moist: Something that is slightly wet.
Sentence: This blanket seems a little moist to sit on.
- Mollycoddle: To be extra nice to someone or to overprotect them.
Sentence: Sometimes what a child needs is some tough love and not mollycoddling all the time.
Starting with N:
- Nacket: A light lunch or snack.
Sentence: I’m going to have a quick nacket before dinner.
- Namby-pamby: Someone who is weak, with no backbone.
Sentence: I don’t want to be some namby-pamby little girl!
- Napoo: The end of something. A term mostly used by soldiers.
Sentence: Napooh! That’s the end of that story.
- Niff: Something that smells bad.
Sentence: It’s got that horrible fishy niff.
- Nincompoop: This refers to someone who is not intelligent or a fool.
Nincompoop sentence: You act like such a nincompoop sometimes.
Starting with O:
- Obi: A sash worn around the waist of a kimono.
Sentence: That pink obi would look nice with this kimono.
- Oozy: Something that is slimy and wet
Sentence: That table is dripping in ooze.
- Oompah: The sound of deep brass instruments in a band.
Sentence: The oompah music in the background really set the tone.
Starting with P:
- Panjandrum: Someone who thinks that they are superior to others.
Sentence: She’s no queen, but she saw acts like a panjandrum.
- Patroon: The captain of a ship
Sentence: Look sharp, the patroon will be here soon.
- Pettifogger: A pettifogger is someone who deals with small or petty businesses. It can also be to argue over small, unimportant matters.
Pettifogger in a sentence: Why do you look up to such a pettifogger?
Starting with Q:
- Quab: Something that is incomplete or immature
Sentence: That baby bird is still just a quab.
- Quark: Scientific term used to describe atoms which are made up of smaller particles.
Sentence: Understanding quarks of fundamental to the world of physics.
- Quoz: Something that is strange.
Sentence: That’s so quoz! No-one wants to eat cheese and ice-cream together!
Silly Words Starting with R:
- Ratoon: This refers to the small root that sprouts from a plant, especially during the springtime.
Sentence: I heard somewhere that ratooned plants grow taller and healthier.
- Rugrat: Refers to a young child or toddler
Sentences: Those rugrats don’t know what’s coming to them!
- Ruddy: The term sometimes can be used to suggest good health in a person.
Sentence: That ruddy-faced girl was someone I never seen before.
Starting with S:
- Sialoquent: Somone who splits while talking.
Sentence: My old science teacher was Sialoquent. I was always scared to go near him!
- Skedaddle: To ask some to leave or run away very quickly
Skedaddle in a sentence: This is no place to play your silly games, now skedaddle before I get you!
- Skullduggery Refers to dodgy dealings and some no good business.
Sentence: We need to put a stop to all this skullduggery around this town.
- Shenanigan: This is when someone is causing a lot of mischiefs or playing tricks.
Shenanigans in a sentence: What’re all the shenanigans about?
- Snollygoster (snol·ly·gos·ter): This refers to an unethical politician who is guided by personal advantage.
Snollygoster in a sentence: I don’t want any help from a snollygoster.
- Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Something that is really good. And the longest word in the English dictionary.
Sentence: Your cake is simply supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Starting with T:
- Tatterdemalion: A poor child wearing rags.
Sentence: I grew up like a tatterdemalion on the streets and now I’m a billionaire!
- Taradiddle (tar-uh-did-l): this is a small lie or when someone is speaking nonsense.
Taradiddle in a sentence: That’s such taradiddle – I don’t trust you at all!
- Thingamajig. A thing for which you have forgotten the name of.
Sentence: Can you pass that thingamajig over?
- Troglodyte: Someone that lives in a cave.
Sentence: All my life I’ve been living like Troglodyte cooped up in this house!
Starting with U:
- Uber: Something that is really great.
Sentence: That’s a really uber-looking coat you got there!
- Ube: Type of yam which is coloured purple
Sentence: You can make really nice curry using ube.
- Upsy-daisy: Lifting up a small child.
Sentence: Upsy daisy! It’s time for your nap.
- Urubu: A blank vulture found in South American.
Sentence: The Urubu is a rare species of bird found in America.
Starting with V:
- Vamp: To make something brand-new.
Sentence: Let’s vamp-up your car.
- Vexed: Something that is really annoying or frustrating.
Sentence: This puzzle has really got me vexed.
- veepstakes: A competition to find a party-s vice president.
Sentence: Have you prepared for the upcoming veepstakes?
Starting with W:
- Wabbit: A Scottish word referring to feeling exhausted or a little unwell.
Sentence: I’m feeling wabbit today.
- Widdershins (with -er-shinz): This refers to going in the opposite direction or going down the wrong path.
Widdershins in a sentence: Only widdershins going down that road.
Starting with X:
All words beginning with X are funny ones!
- Xanthoderm: A person with yellowish skin.
Sentence: This make-up makes my skin look a little Xanthoderm.
- Xebec: A small sailing-ship with square sails.
Sentence: Let’s take a ride on my new Xebec.
Starting with Y:
- Yabby: Refers to any Australian crayfishes used for food.
Sentence: These yabbies are going to taste delicious.
- Yachty: Relates to yachts.
Sentence: I have a yachty-looking T-shirt.
- Yaff: A type of bark.
Sentence: The dog yaffed at the mailman.
- Yawny: When you yawn or when something is boring
Sentence: That movie was a little yawny.
- Yahoo: A rube, a country bumpkin.
Sentence: What’s that yahoo doing here!
- Yerk: Pull or push something with a sudden movement.
Sentence; She yerked at the rope, as they tried to pull the bucket up from the well.
- yips: When a golfer misses an easy putt due to nervousness.
Sentence: Looks like he has the yips today.
Funniest Words starting with Z:
- Zaftig: Having a full-rounded figure.
Sentence: Her zaftig figure was admired by all.
- Zappy: Something that is lively and energetic.
Sentence: She looks very zappy today.
- Zazzy: Something that is shiny and flashy
Sentence: Jenny brought herself a new zazzy handbag to match her shoes.
- Zeze: A string instrument from South Africa.
Sentence: The sound of the zeze is unique in South Africa.
- Zizz: To take a short nap or sleep.
Sentence: James likes to take a 2-hour zizz every afternoon at 2 pm.
- Zoanthropy (zoh-an-thruh-pee): This is when someone believes that they are an animal.
Zoanthropy in a sentence: I think she suffers from a mild case of Zoanthropy.
What do you think of our selection of the funniest words in the English language? Do you have any more to add on? Let us know in the comments below. In the meantime, why not take a look at our post, 12+ Words Beginning with X Used in Sentences.
I have a colleague who comes up with really very clever and funny things to say, but they are also very blunt. Is there a word (or two) that can describe this?
Jack Ryan
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asked Jul 24, 2013 at 23:07
1
The phrase trenchant wit refers to humor that is “keen; biting; vigorously effective and articulate; severe”. Phrases mordant wit and caustic wit also sometimes are used. Synonyms or words related to those three suggestions include acidic, biting, burning, corrosive, searing; acerbic, bitchy, catty, mordacious, nasty, sharp, spiteful. But most of those are sharper than one desires for referring to humorous things.
Some related nouns (rather than adjectives) include repartee (“A swift, witty reply, especially one that is amusing” or “A conversation marked by a series of witty retorts”) and riposte (“a quick and usually witty response to a taunt, a retort”).
answered Jul 24, 2013 at 23:25
1
Consider dry wit or dry humor
when the intent, but not the presentation, is humorous, blunt, oblique, sarcastic or apparently unintentional.
You might also consider deadpan
a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or body language. It is usually spoken in a casual, monotone or cantankerous voice, and expresses an unflappably calm, archly insincere, or artificially grave demeanor, often in spite of the ridiculousness of the subject matter.
answered Jul 25, 2013 at 1:58
bibbib
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Deadpan, dry wit or dry humour all express the same type of humour that is delivered in quasi deadly serious tone, with little to no forewarning of the punchline in arrival. I would say the key elements to this type of humour is acutely observational, and nearly always self-referential. It is the contrast between the «comic’s» expressionless stare and his resigned awareness of the futility of life that causes most hilarity among listeners.
Quote from wiki (where else):
Deadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented
without a change in emotion or body language. It is usually spoken in
a casual, monotone or cantankerous voice, and expresses an unflappably
calm, archly insincere, or artificially grave demeanor, often in spite
of the ridiculousness of the subject matter. This delivery is also
called dry humor or dry wit, when the intent, but not the
presentation, is humorous, blunt, oblique, sarcastic or apparently
unintentional
.
answered Jul 25, 2013 at 2:03
Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A
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1
Sardonic
disdainfully or skeptically humorous
source
answered Aug 20, 2013 at 21:08
starwedstarwed
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I prefer snarky: sarcastic, impertinent, or irreverent in tone or manner.
answered Aug 20, 2013 at 22:16
MkUiSlTlMkUiSlTl
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I have heard this kind of wit called scathing humor.
Scathing by itself means:
witheringly scornful; severely critical
So, scathing humor is the kind of humor that criticizes or points out the problems with something by poking fun at it. Here’s an example of scathing humor from Downtown Abbey. Scathing humor would be a little harsher (maybe blunter) than the other suggestions of dry humor or dry wit.
Sarcasm and satire were other words that came to mind.
Sarcasm: A form of humor that is marked by mocking with irony, sometimes conveyed in speech with vocal over-emphasis. Insincerely saying something which is the opposite of one’s intended meaning, often to emphasize how unbelievable or unlikely it sounds if taken literally, thereby illustrating the obvious nature of one’s intended meaning.
Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
answered Jul 25, 2013 at 4:09
JLGJLG
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Witty
is not bad IMO, although it does not necessarily imply bluntness.
Pithy
might also be an excellent candidate.
Piercing humor
often used to describe something akin to your friend’s qualities.
answered Jul 25, 2013 at 4:17
VectorVector
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I think you want «snappy»
(from m-w.com)
snap·py adjective ˈsna-pē snap·pi·ersnap·pi·est Definition of SNAPPY
1: snappish 1 2a : quickly made or done b :
marked by vigor or liveliness c : briskly cold d :
stylish, smart
Even though it doesn’t say «funny,» I think the combination of definitions b, c, and d leads one to infer humor.
answered Jul 29, 2013 at 19:32
Jack RyanJack Ryan
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Learn more about the Vocabulary Builder Course
A “joke” is a funny comment or short story that is supposed to make people laugh. Let’s learn some English vocabulary related to jokes and humor!
tell a joke / crack a joke
We always “tell a joke” (never “say a joke”) and sometimes you’ll also hear the informal expression “crack a joke,” which means the same thing.
- Before starting my speech, I told a joke to make the audience laugh.
- My sister’s so funny; she’s always cracking jokes.
crack up / burst out laughing
These expressions mean to start laughing suddenly. This can be in response to a joke, or to a funny situation in general.
- My father always tells jokes that make everyone crack up.
- Everyone burst out laughing when I tripped and fell on my face.
hilarious
Something that is “funny” makes you laugh, and the word “hilarious” means very/extremely funny.
- The last comedian who performed was hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing.
I don’t get it
This is an informal way to say “I don’t understand.” It can be used in response to a joke in which you don’t understand why it’s funny, or for not understanding things in general:
- Everyone else laughed at that line in the movie, but I don’t get it. Why is it so funny?
a joke fell flat
If a joke “fell flat,” it means that the joke was unsuccessful – nobody listening to it laughed or thought it was funny.
- I told a little joke during my job interview, but unfortunately it fell flat.
an offensive joke / a tasteless joke
Some jokes make other people feel bad or insulted – these can be described as offensive. A similar expression is to describe a joke as tasteless – it means it was socially impolite and failed to account for other people’s feelings. You can also say a joke was in bad taste / in poor taste.
- You shouldn’t joke about people with disabilities. It’s offensive.
- It’s too bad the movie had so many tasteless jokes about women’s intelligence.
the butt of the joke
If someone is “the butt of the joke,” it means he/she is the object of the joke – the joke is about him/her. Some people don’t mind being the butt of the joke, but other people find it embarrassing.
- My older brother always made me the butt of his jokes and it got really annoying.
laughingstock
If someone is a “laughingstock,” it means he/she is acting so ridiculous or stupid that other people are laughing at him/her.
- I was the laughingstock of the company after I accidentally posted an embarrassing picture on the website.
just kidding
This expression is a way to say “I’m only joking; I’m not speaking seriously” after making a funny comment that someone might misunderstand if they think you are being serious.
- I’m very short, and my boyfriend used to say that he felt like he was dating a child – but he was just kidding.
tease someone / make fun of someone
These expressions mean to make little comments about someone, which are rather funny but also may be slightly insulting or embarrass the person. Teasing / making fun of someone can be “light” and friendly (for example, if you have a good relationship with the person so they find the teasing funny and don’t take it seriously) or it can be mean and rude (for example, if the comments are really making the person feel bad about themselves).
- I always tease my husband about not knowing how to fold a shirt properly.
My best friend makes fun of me for being late all the time.
(light / friendly teasing) - The kids at school teased me a lot because I was fat.
I was hurt when I found out my coworkers were making fun of my accent.
(teasing that makes the person feel bad)
no joke / no laughing matter
Saying something is “no joke” or “no laughing matter” means it’s serious, it is not something to take lightly. “No laughing matter” in particular is often used when someone is joking about / laughing at something that deserves more serious consideration.
- Getting a virus on your computer is no joke. It can really do a lot of damage.
- The guy grabbed a girl’s butt and thought it was funny, but sexual assault is no laughing matter.