Meaning & use
humorous
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Funny in a gentle, clever way that makes people smile or laugh lightly.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a humorous story; the story was humorous.
Patterns
- humorous story/remark/comment
- find something humorous
- a humorous way of doing something
She told a humorous story about her first day at work.
His humorous remarks kept the meeting from getting too serious.
I found the cartoon quite humorous.
adjectivecomparable
Having or showing a sense of humor; able to see and enjoy what is funny.
Grammar: Often describes a person or a mood: a humorous person; in a humorous mood.
Patterns
- a humorous person
- in a humorous mood
He is a humorous man who can laugh at himself.
She was in a humorous mood and teased everyone at dinner.
Word forms
| comparative | more humorous |
|---|---|
| superlative | most humorous |
Common combinations
- humorous story
- The book is full of humorous stories about village life.
- humorous remark
- His humorous remark made everyone relax.
- find something humorous
- Not everyone finds that kind of joke humorous.
- humorous tone
- She wrote the article in a humorous tone.
- humorous side
- Try to see the humorous side of the situation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- funny
- More general and stronger; it can mean 'strange' as well as 'amusing', so it is less precise than humorous.
- amusing
- Similar but often suggests mild entertainment rather than clever wit.
- witty
- Focuses on clever, quick words; humorous can describe a whole story or situation, not just a remark.
- comical
- Suggests something is funny because it is odd or exaggerated, not intentionally clever.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: humorous or humoral?
humorous vs humoral
A medical term about body fluids; it sounds similar but has nothing to do with being funny.
Practice
Which sentence uses "humorous" correctly?
Choose one answer.
"Humorous" describes something that gently makes people laugh, so a speech that made everyone smile fits. Option 0 is too strong ("humorous" is milder than "hilarious"). Option 2 confuses it with "humorous" meaning funny, not a way of reacting to news. Option 3 uses it for taste, where "delicious" or "strange" would be needed.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “humorous”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.