comedian

noun

co·​me·​di·​an kə-ˈmē-dē-ən 

1

archaic

a

: a writer of comedies

b

: an actor who plays comic roles

2

: a comical individual

specifically : a professional entertainer who uses any of various physical or verbal means to be amusing

Synonyms

• card
• comic
• droll
• farceur
• funnyman
• gagger
• gagman
• gagster
• humorist
• jester
• joker
• jokester
• wag
• wit

Examples of comedian in a Sentence

You'll like my friend. He's a real comedian.

struggled to eke out a living as a comedian in nightclubs

Recent Examples on the Web

Swardson is an actor, producer, screenwriter and stand-up comedian. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2025

And comedians themselves don’t necessarily consider their profession ideal for fostering a long-lasting romance. —Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2025

When Corden took Harry's phone to FaceTime Meghan on the show, the comedian asked the prince what she was saved as in his contacts. —Clare Fisher, People.com, 24 Mar. 2025

When a society is under threat, comedians are the ones who get sent away first. —Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for comedian

• submedian
• paramedian

Kids Definition

comedian

noun

co·​me·​di·​an kə-ˈmēd-ē-ən 

1

: an actor who plays in comedy

2

: a comical individual

especially : a humorous professional entertainer