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Meaning & use

mirthless

adjective·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈmɜːθləs/
US/ˈmɜːrθləs/

Meaning

  1. adjectivenot comparableliterary

    Showing no real happiness or amusement, especially of a laugh or smile that seems forced or cold.

    Grammar: Not usually compared; you would not say 'more mirthless' in everyday use.

    Patterns

    • a mirthless laugh
    • a mirthless smile
    • mirthless laughter

    He gave a mirthless laugh and turned away.

    Her mirthless smile made it clear she was not amused.

    The joke was met with mirthless laughter from the tired audience.

Common combinations

mirthless laugh
His mirthless laugh echoed in the empty room.
mirthless smile
She gave a mirthless smile and said nothing.
mirthless laughter
There was a burst of mirthless laughter from the back.

Synonyms and how they differ

joyless
Joyless describes a general lack of happiness; mirthless specifically describes a laugh or smile that lacks amusement.
humorless
Humorless means a person who does not enjoy or make jokes; mirthless describes an expression, not a personality.
forced
Forced means deliberately put on; mirthless can be natural but empty of real feeling.

Opposites

mirthfuljoyful

Word family

mirth noun
Laughter or amusement (literary).
mirthful adjective
Full of laughter or joy.
mirthlessly adverb
In a way that shows no real amusement.

Commonly confused: mirthless or mirthful?

mirthless vs mirthful

Mirthful means full of laughter; mirthless means the opposite—empty of laughter.

Practice

She gave a ______ smile that did not reach her eyes.

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