1
as in humorous
given to or marked by mature intelligent humor
made the jocular observation that the best way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start off with a large fortune
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in merry
indicative of or marked by high spirits or good humor
the children at the library were charmed by the jocular storyteller
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jocular
These documents further illuminated the extent of the friendship between Bannon and Epstein, whose private exchanges are jocular, even affectionate at times.
—
Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Over the decades the band’s music has moved steadily toward the kind of classic rock that punks once professed to hate — think of Led Zeppelin, think of Aerosmith, go ahead and think of Boston — while Grohl has taken up the role of jocular frontman with a gusto approaching that of David Lee Roth.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Entire families, with kids and dogs, took their holiday portraits — not with a jocular Santa, but with a snarling Krampus, standing in front of an Alpine forest backdrop.
—Deena Prichep, NPR, 8 Dec. 2025
That’s because of her bright and jocular storytelling.
—Mj Franklin, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jocular
Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Over the decades the band’s music has moved steadily toward the kind of classic rock that punks once professed to hate — think of Led Zeppelin, think of Aerosmith, go ahead and think of Boston — while Grohl has taken up the role of jocular frontman with a gusto approaching that of David Lee Roth.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Entire families, with kids and dogs, took their holiday portraits — not with a jocular Santa, but with a snarling Krampus, standing in front of an Alpine forest backdrop.
—Deena Prichep, NPR, 8 Dec. 2025
That’s because of her bright and jocular storytelling.
—Mj Franklin, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jocular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jocular
Adjective
-
The title is a humorous, literal reference to the late father’s large piece of bone left after cremation.—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Their viral, humorous videos about his adventures in life and their father-daughter moments are followed by more than 3 million people.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Our leads will be abandoning the mean streets of New York City for merry old London.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
-
Starr and his band of merry men would deliver a 100-minute-plus show that was filled with 22 great tunes that most everyone in the house knew by heart.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fierce, witty and full of heart, the novel celebrates self-advocacy, identity and the power of finding your people.—
Sarah Kate Ellis,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
-
In conversation and on the page, Hockney was a witty, observant, and often contrarian scholar of art, offering exuberant opinions on the likes of Turner, Constable, Ingres, Caravaggio, Van Gogh, Bacon, and Warhol.—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Tar Heels went three-up, three-down in the sixth, but the next inning Gallaher and his teammates were having a jolly time on a clear and cool evening at Charles Schwab Field.—
Eric Olson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 June 2026
-
The Tar Heels went three-up, three-down in the sixth, but the next inning Gallaher and his teammates were having a jolly time on a clear and cool evening at Charles Schwab Field.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The trouble is that the clever work is the part the market actually values.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Perspective widens as the intuitive Moon moves through your 9th House of Exploration, sextiling clever Mercury in your 11th House of Friendship.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The matches are also being projected onto some of the walls, and festive touches have been added to the taxidermy.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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On Sunday, Scottish supporters charmed locals with a festive march to Fenway Park, where the Red Sox hosted Scottish Heritage Night amid an influx of World Cup fans.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
This tiger red balayage on a brunette base is as cheerful as a sunny day.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
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Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Shortly before the opening of Nasdaq trading on Friday, Elon Musk stepped in front of a cheerful crowd at SpaceX’s company town in Texas.—
Jordan Novet,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
The mood was jovial, and any banter between the English and Croatian partisans was playful.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2026
-
Live music and delicious drinks bolster the jovial atmosphere.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jocular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jocular. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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