1
as in witty
given to or marked by mature intelligent humor
the essay is a facetious commentary on the absurdity of war as a solution for international disputes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred
a facetious and tasteless remark about people in famine-stricken countries being spared the problem of overeating
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of facetious
To be facetious, how many of those people who committed mass murder in the fifth largest city in America went to death row?
—
Dave Zirin, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
At first, Yellow Face offers a facetious and overly complicated panorama, shuffling Daniel Dae Kim’s glibly intellectual DHH and Francis Jue’s heartfelt HYH among the Asian, black, and white supporting actors who portray various egotistic New York professionals.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
In the 30-second ad, 314 Action presented Kennedy’s swim in Rock Creek as absurd, posting it next to two facetious headlines saying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered drone strikes from a steam bath and another saying Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shot and killed another dog.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 19 May 2025
Given this is an AMA, there is no clear way to tell if Perkins was being facetious or not.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for facetious
Dave Zirin, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025
At first, Yellow Face offers a facetious and overly complicated panorama, shuffling Daniel Dae Kim’s glibly intellectual DHH and Francis Jue’s heartfelt HYH among the Asian, black, and white supporting actors who portray various egotistic New York professionals.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 May 2025
In the 30-second ad, 314 Action presented Kennedy’s swim in Rock Creek as absurd, posting it next to two facetious headlines saying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered drone strikes from a steam bath and another saying Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shot and killed another dog.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 19 May 2025
Given this is an AMA, there is no clear way to tell if Perkins was being facetious or not.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for facetious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for facetious
Adjective
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Only a geeky, witty male pal (Jon Cryer) sees her worth, until one day, quite remarkably, rich-kid McCarthy takes an interest.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Mar. 2026
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As the two form a tentative connection, the grift is soon threatened in this sharply witty and entertaining new comedy from Oscar®-winner Steven Soderbergh.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Marvin’s a cute little mushroom living in a cozy home beneath a mighty cedar tree.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
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Dry off and look cute at the same time with Katydid beach or gym towels.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the early 1990s, Stuart Smalley's humorous affirmations on SNL highlighted the power of self-coaching, a concept supported by psychologist Ethan Kross, who suggests that addressing oneself in the second person can alleviate anxiety and improve problem-solving by fostering a broader perspective.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
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The unexpected may have a humorous twist.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Given how flippant Rodgers has been with his decision-making over the last few years, and his insistence that he won’t be bullied into deciding his future on anyone’s timeline but his makes predicting what the four-time MVP will do quite a tough ask.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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In the fall, New York’s Republican State Committee suspended a Young Republican organization after the release of a group chat that included jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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More than this, or in spite of this, Tim was clever and silly.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is bursting with ideas that feel like clever marginalia on an otherwise familiar setup.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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April 20 – May 20 Your playful side wants room to breathe!—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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It’s named after Hall’s favorite band, Grateful Dead, and will have a few playful nods to the band.—
Jenna Thompson
March 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Facetious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/facetious. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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