variants
also hysteric
1
as in funny
causing or intended to cause laughter
some of the things little kids come out with are hysterical
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worried
feeling overwhelming fear or worry
the police officer assured the mother that there was no need to get hysterical, for most missing children are found safe and sound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in frightened
filled with fear or dread
upon hearing the announcement that a shark had been sighted, hysterical beachgoers raced out of the water
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hysterical
Upon the discovery of O’Keefe, Read allegedly became hysterical and desperate to revive her boyfriend.
—
Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Alice, who hasn’t been completely honest with her folks, becomes more hysterical and Maddie and Frank more argumentative over their conflicting views as to the best course of action.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2025
Rachel Carson's critics depicted her as hysterical, mystical, and witchy.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 3 Mar. 2025
Ferran is a force of hysterical nature, painting in the strong, bold colors her character so professes to adore as the elder DuBois sister attempts to tune out reality by literally putting a paper lantern over the light.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hysterical
Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Alice, who hasn’t been completely honest with her folks, becomes more hysterical and Maddie and Frank more argumentative over their conflicting views as to the best course of action.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2025
Rachel Carson's critics depicted her as hysterical, mystical, and witchy.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 3 Mar. 2025
Ferran is a force of hysterical nature, painting in the strong, bold colors her character so professes to adore as the elder DuBois sister attempts to tune out reality by literally putting a paper lantern over the light.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hysterical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hysterical
Adjective
-
On her first series, the actress played the furry and funny Honk on the Kroffts’ Far Out Space Nuts, a character who spoke only in horn-like honks.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Welcome to My Blue Sky is twice as great — totally brash, always loud, always effusive, and usually funny even when their lives are falling apart, which is constantly.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The patient’s toe had been amputated because of an infection causing unbearable pain and Dr Shaik, a neurology resident overseeing her care was worried.—
Hansa Bhargava,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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As the Trump administration makes major cuts to federal health agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, some Alzheimer's experts are worried about research for the brain-impairing disease being halted, which could impact treatment options and the lives of patients and their families.—
Sara Moniuszko,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The family is frightened, but the soldiers aren’t there to terrorize them.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Financial markets have crashed, consumers are frightened, and deals are paralyzed.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This hate against transgender people is so ridiculous.—
John Russell,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
To be fair, a lot of things are ridiculous these days.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Three minors heard gunfire and believed they had been fired at, and were scared of being shot, wrote Sheriff’s Deputy Dave Walls.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Apr. 2025
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For those who have been scared to shift away from grays and creams, these shades offer an ideal compromise.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The book often details in a humorous way how his upbringing affected his many relationships — both romantically and professionally.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
4 Apr. 2025
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Director Edgar Wright’s adaptation of the 1982 Stephen King novel (written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman) is a more stylish, grounded and even humorous take than the over-the-top 1987 movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the hero and Richard Dawson as a villainous TV show host.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In suburban Denver, a mother has been left distraught after her husband, Venezuelan immigrant Jefferson Jose Laya Freites, was sent to the same prison in El Salvador.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
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Some were visibly distraught, crying or in a state of panic.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Six books offer readers armchair travel, amusing characters, and a dash of history.—
Yvonne Zipp,
Christian Science Monitor,
1 Apr. 2025
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Thankfully, in the case of Mark, the reality proved to be something much more amusing.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hysterical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysterical. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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