hilarious

adjective

hi·​lar·​i·​ous hi-ˈler-ē-əs 

hī-

: marked by or causing hilarity : extremely funny

hilariously adverb

hilariousness noun

Synonyms

• antic
• chucklesome
• comedic
• comic
• comical
• droll
• farcical
• funny
• humoristic
• humorous
• hysterical
• hysteric
• killing
• laughable
• ludicrous
• ridiculous
• riotous
• risible
• screaming
• sidesplitting
• uproarious

Examples of hilarious in a Sentence

Raymond is different, so well written and acted, so perfectly pitched, that even the silences, especially the silences, are hilarious. It makes comedy look easy. —James Morris, Wilson Quarterly, Autumn 2005

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tim Burton's adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved (by children) and reviled (by critics and librarians) book, is quirky, well acted, often hilarious, and visually sumptuous, but don't go to it expecting sweetness in anything except the title. —Richard Alleva, Commonweal, 12 Aug. 2005

In fairness, McEnroe does have genuine passion for the game, and his willingness to take on the sport's sacred cows is admirable. His candor and hilarious random ruminations as an analyst make even the most lopsided matches worth watching. —Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated, 17 Sept. 2001

Since his material is genuinely funny, at times hilarious, it makes for a smashing use of audio as a unique entertainment medium. Sedaris has an unexpectedly high-pitched voice that comes across as majorly mischievous in its delivery … —Publishers Weekly, 5 May 1997

Some people don't like his comedy, but I think he's hilarious.

She gave us a hilarious account of her first days as a teacher.

Recent Examples on the Web

Billy Eichner is revealing a hilarious misunderstanding between him and Travis Kelce. —Liza Esquibias, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024

This show drops classic Star Wars characters into the world of burlesque and transports you to the dark side for an evening of hilarious, sultry fun. —Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 6 Dec. 2024

Aschenbrenner shared a hilarious clip showing their reactions on Instagram (@wienerkind_) which went viral with more than 1 million views. —Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024

The reactions ranged from pure joy to hilarious skepticism. —Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

irregular from Latin hilarus, hilaris cheerful, from Greek hilaros

First Known Use

circa 1840, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hilarious

adjective

hi·​lar·​i·​ous hil-ˈar-ē-əs 

-ˈer-;

hī-ˈlar-,

-ˈler-

: causing hilarity : wildly funny

hilariously adverb

hilariousness noun