humorous

adjective

hu·​mor·​ous ˈhyüm-rəs How to pronounce humorous (audio)
ˈyüm-, 
ˈhyü-mə- How to pronounce humorous (audio)
ˈyü-
Synonyms of humorous
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 eye—Harrison Smith
2
obsolete : humid
humorously adverb
humorousness noun

Synonyms of humorous

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Absurd and darkly humorous drama, offering an unconventional take on aging, loneliness and human dignity. — Annika Pham, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 The production design is excellent, the humorous details of Vision’s metaphorical manse and the externalization of computer processes clever. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Lyubka’s compelling storytelling technique is detailed, lyrical, at times, humorous, and therefore deeply penetrating. — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026 On Christmas Day, Neon will weigh in with the best of the three, Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, a humorous and ultimately horrifying account of 20 years of AI evolution and a scorching portrait of OpenAI founder Sam Altman. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for humorous

See All Rhymes for humorous

Browse Nearby Words

humorless
humorous
humorously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Humorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humorous. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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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
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