Fun — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈfən/

Meaning & Definition of Fun

Fun (adjective)

  1. providing entertainment, amusement, or enjoyment
  2. full of fun, pleasant

Fun (noun)

  1. what provides amusement or enjoyment; specifically, playful often boisterous action or speech
  2. a mood for finding or making amusement
  3. amusement, enjoyment

Fun (verb)

  1. to indulge in banter or play, joke

Fun (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. providing amusement or enjoyment

    "there were so many fun things to do at summer camp that the kids really hated to leave"

    similar: amusing, delightful, diverting, enjoyable, entertaining, pleasurable
    related: agreeable, beguiling, nice, pleasant, satisfying, welcome, recreational, antic, comic, comical, droll, farcical, funny, hilarious, humorous, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, riotous, risible, sidesplitting, uproarious, blithesome, gay, gleeful, happy, jocose, jocund, jolly, jovial, merry, mirthful, sunny, exciting, stimulating, thrilling
    opposite: boring, drab, dreary, dull, flat, heavy, humdrum, jading, leaden, monotonous, pedestrian, pleasureless, ponderous, stodgy, stuffy, tedious, tiresome, tiring, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying
    near: disagreeable, displeasing, distasteful, uncongenial, unlovely, unpleasant, unpleasing, unwelcome

Fun (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. someone or something that provides amusement or enjoyment

    "theme parks with their rides, shows, and games are great fun for the whole family"

    similar: delight, distraction, diversion, divertissement, entertainment, pleasure, recreation
    related: escape, pastime, time killer, binge, fling, frolic, gambol, lark, revel, rollick, romp, spree, frolicking, rollicking, carousing, conviviality, festivity, gaiety, hilarity, jollification, jollity, merrymaking, reveling, revelry, whoopee, picnic, laugh, riot, scream, activity, game
    opposite: bore, bummer, downer, drag
    near: killjoy, party pooper

  2. an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously

    "when I said that playing the piano like that could get you arrested, I only said it in fun"

    similar: game, jest, play, sport
    related: facetiousness, flightiness, flippancy, frivolity, frivolousness, frothiness, levity, light-mindedness, silliness
    opposite: earnest
    near: earnestness, gravity, seriousness, soberness, sobriety, solemnity

  3. activity engaged in to amuse oneself

    "came outside to where we were playing touch football and joined the fun"

    similar: dalliance, frolic, frolicking, fun and games, play, recreation, relaxation, rollicking, sport
    related: gamboling, romping, amusement, diversion, entertainment, hobby, hobbyhorse, pastime, delight, enjoyment, pleasance, pleasure, friskiness, playfulness, sportiveness, wantonness, devilment, devilry, hanky-panky, hob, impishness, jinks, knavery, mischief, mischievousness, rascality, roguishness, waggery, binge, fling, kick, lark, revel, rollick, spree, hilarity, merriment, merrymaking, revelry, whoopee, buffoonery, high jinks, horseplay, tomfoolery
    near: drudgery, labor, work, duty, obligation, responsibility

  4. a state of noisy, confused activity

    "the fun really began when the deer broke out of its pen and started wandering down the street"

    similar: ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter (chiefly dialect), coil, commotion, disturbance, do (chiefly dialect), foofaraw, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha, hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry, kerfuffle (chiefly British), moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore (Scottish), squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo
    related: cacophony, clamor, din, howl, hue and cry, noise, outcry, racket, roar, disorder, unrest, upheaval, eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst, brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee, scuffle, dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzy
    near: calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquility, order, orderliness

Fun (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make jokes

    "just a couple of old friends funning with each other"

    similar: banter, chaff, fool, gag, jape, jest, jive, joke, jolly, josh, kid, quip, wisecrack, yuk (slang), crack wise
    related: gibe, haze, jeer, mock, rag, rally, razz, rib, ridicule, tease, caricature, lampoon, parody, satirize, amuse, divert, entertain

Related Entry: Fun and games (plural noun)

Fun and games is a different word from Fun. The synonyms below are for fun and games, not for fun.

  1. a situation or state of carefree comfort

    "soon found out that owning and maintaining a yacht wasn't all fun and games"

    similar: beer and skittles, easy street, hog heaven, picnic, bed of roses, the lap of luxury, life of Riley
    related: primrose path, heaven, paradise, utopia, American dream, good life, ease, relaxation, rest
    near: agony, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torment, torture

  2. activity engaged in to amuse oneself

    "it's not all fun and games at the summer music camp, where students are expected to take their studies seriously"

    similar: dalliance, frolic, frolicking, fun, play, recreation, relaxation, rollicking, sport
    related: gamboling, romping, amusement, diversion, entertainment, hobby, hobbyhorse, pastime, delight, enjoyment, pleasance, pleasure, friskiness, playfulness, sportiveness, wantonness, devilment, devilry, hanky-panky, hob, impishness, jinks, knavery, mischief, mischievousness, rascality, roguishness, waggery, binge, fling, kick, lark, revel, rollick, spree, hilarity, merriment, merrymaking, revelry, whoopee, buffoonery, high jinks, horseplay, tomfoolery
    near: drudgery, labor, work, duty, obligation, responsibility

Related Entry: Make fun of (phrase)

Make fun of is a different word from Fun. The synonyms below are for make fun of, not for fun.

  1. to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter

    "It's cruel to make fun of other people's imperfections."

    similar: deride, gibe, jeer, laugh (at), mock, ridicule, scout, shoot down, skewer, cock a snook (at), make sport of, poke fun at, rag on
    related: scoff (at), scorn, sneer (at), bad-mouth, belittle, decry, disparage, pooh-pooh, put down, chaff, jive, josh, kid, quiz, rally, razz, rib, ride, tease, tweak, twit, bait, barrack (chiefly British), bug, catcall, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, needle, pester, rag, target, taunt, torment, ape, burlesque, caricature, imitate, lampoon, mimic, parody, parrot, pillory, satirize, take off (on), travesty
    near: applaud, approve, commend, endorse, sanction

Related Entry: Poke fun at (phrase)

Poke fun at is a different word from Fun. The synonyms below are for poke fun at, not for fun.

  1. to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter

    "Poking fun at the corny romantic comedies they watch is a favorite pleasure of theirs."

    similar: deride, gibe, jeer, laugh (at), mock, ridicule, scout, shoot down, skewer, cock a snook (at), make fun of, make sport of, rag on
    related: scoff (at), scorn, sneer (at), bad-mouth, belittle, decry, disparage, pooh-pooh, put down, chaff, jive, josh, kid, quiz, rally, razz, rib, ride, tease, tweak, twit, bait, barrack (chiefly British), bug, catcall, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, needle, pester, rag, target, taunt, torment, ape, burlesque, caricature, imitate, lampoon, mimic, parody, parrot, pillory, satirize, take off (on), travesty
    near: applaud, approve, commend, endorse, sanction

Related Entry: Made fun of (phrase)

Made fun of is a different word from Fun. The synonyms below are for made fun of, not for fun.

  1. to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter

    "It's cruel to make fun of other people's imperfections."

    similar: derided, gibed, jeered, laughed (at), mocked, ridiculed, scouted, shot down, skewered, cocked a snook (at), made sport of, poked fun at, ragged on
    related: scoffed (at), scorned, sneered (at), bad-mouthed, belittled, decried, disparaged, pooh-poohed, put down, chaffed, jived, joshed, kidded, quizzed, rallied, razzed, ribbed, rode, teased, tweaked, twitted, baited, barracked (chiefly British), bugged, catcalled, harassed, harried, hassled, heckled, needled, pestered, ragged, targeted, taunted, tormented, aped, burlesqued, caricatured, imitated, lampooned, mimicked, parodied, parroted, pilloried, satirized, took off (on), travestied
    near: applauded, approved, commended, endorsed, sanctioned

Related Entry: Poked fun at (phrase)

Poked fun at is a different word from Fun. The synonyms below are for poked fun at, not for fun.

  1. to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter

    "Poking fun at the corny romantic comedies they watch is a favorite pleasure of theirs."

    similar: derided, gibed, jeered, laughed (at), mocked, ridiculed, scouted, shot down, skewered, cocked a snook (at), made fun of, made sport of, ragged on
    related: scoffed (at), scorned, sneered (at), bad-mouthed, belittled, decried, disparaged, pooh-poohed, put down, chaffed, jived, joshed, kidded, quizzed, rallied, razzed, ribbed, rode, teased, tweaked, twitted, baited, barracked (chiefly British), bugged, catcalled, harassed, harried, hassled, heckled, needled, pestered, ragged, targeted, taunted, tormented, aped, burlesqued, caricatured, imitated, lampooned, mimicked, parodied, parroted, pilloried, satirized, took off (on), travestied
    near: applauded, approved, commended, endorsed, sanctioned

Related Entry: Makes fun of (phrase)

Makes fun of is a different word from Fun. The synonyms below are for makes fun of, not for fun.

  1. to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter

    "It's cruel to make fun of other people's imperfections."

    similar: derides, gibes, jeers, laughs (at), mocks, ridicules, scouts, shoots down, skewers, cocks a snook (at), makes sport of, pokes fun at, rags on
    related: scoffs (at), scorns, sneers (at), bad-mouths, belittles, decries, disparages, pooh-poohs, puts down, chaffs, jives, joshes, kids, quizzes, rallies, razzes, ribs, rides, teases, tweaks, twits, baits, barracks (chiefly British), bugs, catcalls, harasses, harries, hassles, heckles, needles, pesters, rags, targets, taunts, torments, apes, burlesques, caricatures, imitates, lampoons, mimics, parodies, parrots, pillories, satirizes, takes off (on), travesties
    near: applauds, approves, commends, endorses, sanctions

Related Entry: Pokes fun at (phrase)

Pokes fun at is a different word from Fun. The synonyms below are for pokes fun at, not for fun.

  1. to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter

    "Poking fun at the corny romantic comedies they watch is a favorite pleasure of theirs."

    similar: derides, gibes, jeers, laughs (at), mocks, ridicules, scouts, shoots down, skewers, cocks a snook (at), makes fun of, makes sport of, rags on
    related: scoffs (at), scorns, sneers (at), bad-mouths, belittles, decries, disparages, pooh-poohs, puts down, chaffs, jives, joshes, kids, quizzes, rallies, razzes, ribs, rides, teases, tweaks, twits, baits, barracks (chiefly British), bugs, catcalls, harasses, harries, hassles, heckles, needles, pesters, rags, targets, taunts, torments, apes, burlesques, caricatures, imitates, lampoons, mimics, parodies, parrots, pillories, satirizes, takes off (on), travesties
    near: applauds, approves, commends, endorses, sanctions

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Fun

The most common words with a similar meaning to Fun:

Chiefly dialect: clutter, do
Chiefly British: kerfuffle
Scottish: splore
Slang: yuk
amusing, delightful, diverting, enjoyable, entertaining, pleasurable, delight, distraction, diversion, divertissement, entertainment, pleasure, recreation, game, jest, play, sport, dalliance, frolic, frolicking, fun and games, relaxation, rollicking, ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, coil, commotion, disturbance, foofaraw, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Fun

Words with the opposite meaning of Fun:

boring, drab, dreary, dull, flat, heavy, humdrum, jading, leaden, monotonous, pedestrian, pleasureless, ponderous, stodgy, stuffy, tedious, tiresome, tiring, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying, bore, bummer, downer, drag, earnest

Related Words for Fun

agreeable, beguiling, nice, pleasant, satisfying, welcome, recreational, antic, comic, comical, droll, farcical, funny, hilarious, humorous, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, riotous, risible, sidesplitting, uproarious, blithesome, gay, gleeful, happy, jocose, jocund, jovial, merry

Near Antonyms of Fun

disagreeable, displeasing, distasteful, uncongenial, unlovely, unpleasant, unpleasing, unwelcome, killjoy, party pooper, earnestness, gravity, seriousness, soberness, sobriety, solemnity, drudgery, labor, work, duty, obligation, responsibility, calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquility

Word Forms of Fun

Inflections: funner, funnest, funned, funning

Origin & Etymology of Fun

English dialect fun to hoax, perhaps alteration of Middle English fonnen, from fonne dupe

First known use: 1827

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Fun

Words & Phrases Containing Fun

fun and games, fun house, fun-filled, make fun of, poke fun at, figure of fun, in fun

Frequently Asked Questions about Fun

What does "Fun" mean?

"Fun" means providing entertainment, amusement, or enjoyment. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: providing entertainment, amusement, or enjoyment. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Fun"?

Other words for "Fun" include amusing, delightful, diverting, enjoyable, entertaining, pleasurable, delight and distraction. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Fun" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Fun"?

There are 234 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Fun". Common alternatives include amusing, delightful, diverting, enjoyable, entertaining, pleasurable, delight, distraction, diversion and divertissement.

What is the opposite of "Fun"?

Antonyms of "Fun" include boring, drab, dreary, dull, flat, heavy, humdrum and jading. Near antonyms include disagreeable, displeasing, distasteful and uncongenial.

How do you use "Fun" in a sentence?

Examples of "Fun" in a sentence: "there were so many fun things to do at summer camp that the kids really hated to leave"; "theme parks with their rides, shows, and games are great fun for the whole family"; "when I said that playing the piano like that could get you arrested, I only said it in fun".

Is "Fun" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Fun" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Fun" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Fun" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Fun"?

"Fun" is pronounced /ˈfən/.