HILARITY Synonyms: 102 Similar and Opposite Words

hilarity

noun

hi-ˈler-ə-tē

Definition of hilarity

as in glee

a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter hilarity is the last thing you expect to find at a funeral, but we were there to celebrate his life rather than to dwell on his death

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of hilarity Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne anchor a top-notch ensemble as a trio of friends whose trip from Belfast to Ireland’s County Donegal for a funeral leads to unearthed secrets, hilarity and emotion. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026 Root deflects credit for its hilarity. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026 Clad in a Canadian tuxedo and brimming with enthusiasm and a competitive spirit that often verged on the combative, Ed Gamble clearly came into Taskmaster wanting to win, and his sheer desire to do well produced some of the show’s most enduring moments of testy hilarity. — Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 12 June 2026 Naturally, hilarity ensues as Shane tries to protect the family while taking care of the children. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hilarity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hilarity

Noun

The next day, JT showed a snippet of his viral cameo that had everyone and their mother throwing up their phones in glee.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
Other, less cartoonish responses have lingered on Cambridge’s comparable glee in brandishing Arday in the first place.

— Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of glee

Noun

The service Professionalism comes with genuine warmth, cheerfulness, and a sense of people absolutely loving their jobs.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
Kikuko sometimes mistook Shigejiro’s cheerfulness for egoism owing to the distortions produced by her illness.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of cheerfulness

Noun

In lieu of festivities, tens of thousands of people took to the streets Wednesday across Spain to protest the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ceuta, demanding solutions and blaming Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for his government's handling of it.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
Wedding festivities took place over four days and began in a city hundreds of miles away, to which my wife and I traveled.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of festivity

Noun

The Gators’ first-year coach will exit the south end zone tunnel Saturday night under the lights — and the microscope — while showered by cheers as a new era of Florida football begins against Florida Atlantic.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Then came a wave of cheers, gasps and laughter as roughly 2,500 people took their shots nearly in unison.

— Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of cheer

Browse Nearby Words

hilariousness

hilarity

hill

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hilarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hilarity. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hilarity

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inexorable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes