hilarious

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparableinformal

   So funny that it makes people laugh loudly.

   Grammar: Before a noun or after a linking verb: a hilarious show; the show was hilarious.

   Patterns

   • hilarious to someone

   The comedian's story about his dog was hilarious.

   I found the old home video hilarious.

   It was hilarious watching him try to fold the tent.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounold-fashioned

   Noisy and merry, full of laughter.

   Grammar: Rare in this sense and usually before a noun: a hilarious party.

   The hilarious crowd cheered the clowns.

   A hilarious evening followed the wedding.

   They spent a hilarious night swapping stories.

Word forms

Common combinations

absolutely hilarious

The sketch was absolutely hilarious.

hilarious story

He told a hilarious story about his trip.

hilarious moment

The blooper reel had hilarious moments.

find something hilarious

The kids found the cartoon hilarious.

hilariously funny

The reviewer called the play hilariously funny.

Synonyms and how they differ

uproarious

Uproarious stresses the loud laughter, usually of a crowd, whereas hilarious describes how funny the thing is.

hysterical

Hysterical is an informal intensifier for very funny, but can also mean out of control.

amusing

Amusing is milder and means mildly entertaining, not laugh-out-loud.

side-splitting

Side-splitting is a vivid, informal word emphasizing laughter that hurts.

Opposites

Word family

hilarity noun

loud amusement and laughter

hilariously adverb

in an extremely funny way

exhilarate verb

to make someone feel thrilled, from the same root

Commonly confused: hilarious or hysterical?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hilarious”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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