Humor — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈhyü-mər/ hu·mor

Meaning & Definition of Humor

Humor (noun)

  1. that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous, a funny or amusing quality
  2. the mental faculty of discovering, expressing, or appreciating the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous, the ability to be funny or to be amused by things that are funny
  3. something that is or is designed to be comical or amusing

Humor (verb)

  1. to soothe or content (someone) by indulgence, to comply with the temperament or inclinations of
  2. to adapt oneself to

Humor (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the amusing quality or element in something

    "we failed to see any humor in his mean and juvenile jokes"

    similar: comedy, comic, comicality, drollery, drollness, funniness, hilariousness, humorousness, richness, uproariousness
    related: amusement, enjoyment, fun, pleasure, absurdity, irony, laughableness, ludicrousness, ridiculousness, whimsicality, wittiness, wryness, burlesque, caricature, farce, jest, lampoon, parody, satire, slapstick, spoof, takeoff, jocularity, jokiness, playfulness, waggishness
    opposite: pathos
    near: agony, anguish, dolor, grief, heartache, heartbreak, misery, sorrow, torment, torture, tribulation, woe, gravity, seriousness, soberness, solemnity, solemnness, somberness

  2. humorous entertainment

    "a screenwriter best known for lowbrow humor"

    similar: comedy, farce, slapstick
    related: high comedy, low comedy, burlesque, parody, satire, improv, stand-up, banter, drollery, persiflage, wit, foolery, fun, horseplay, knockabout, monkeyshine(s), shenanigan(s)

  3. a state of mind dominated by a particular emotion

    "the prospect of going out to dinner put her in a good humor all day"

    similar: cheer, feather, mode, mood, spirit, temper, frame of mind
    related: angle, attitude, mind-set, outlook, perspective, slant, standpoint, viewpoint, emotion, feeling, heart, passion, sentiment, strain, belief, conviction, judgment, mind, opinion, expression, tone, vein, character, disposition, identity, individuality, makeup, mettle, personality, selfhood, self-identity, temperament, responsiveness, sensibility, sensitiveness, sensitivity

  4. a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action

    "she was seized by a sudden humor to contact an old college friend that she hadn't seen in ages"

    similar: bee, caprice, crank, fancy, freak, kink, maggot, megrim, notion, vagary, vagrancy, whim, whimsy, bee in one's bonnet
    related: capriciousness, fancifulness, fantasy, freakishness, impetuosity, whimsicality, conceit, concept, conception, image, impression, mind's eye, picture, thought, brainstorm, inspiration

Humor (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give in to (a desire)

    "humored her grandfather by listening to his war stories for the hundredth time"

    similar: cater (to), gratify, indulge
    related: bask, luxuriate, revel, wallow, coddle, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil, delight, please, pleasure, sate, satiate, satisfy
    near: bridle, check, constrain, curb, inhibit, restrain, stifle

Related Entry: Out of humor (phrase)

Out of humor is a different word from Humor. The synonyms below are for out of humor, not for humor.

  1. easily irritated or annoyed

    "She's out of humor today because she didn't get enough sleep last night."

    similar: choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety, fiery, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, irritable, peevish, perverse, pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stuffy, testy, waspish, out of sorts
    related: bearish, bilious, cantankerous, cross-grained, curmudgeonly, disagreeable, dyspeptic, ill-humored, ill-natured, ill-tempered, off-color, ornery, querulous, snarly, surly, argumentative, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, disputatious, fractious, fretful, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, huffy, pouty, sensitive, short, sulky, sullen, tetchy, thin-skinned, touchy, hot-blooded, passionate
    near: affable, companionable, cordial, extroverted, friendly, genial, gregarious, outgoing, sociable, agreeable, amiable, good-natured, good-tempered, sweet, well-disposed, carefree, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, relaxed, forbearing, long-suffering, obliging, patient, stoic, tolerant, uncomplaining, understanding

Related Entry: Ill-humored (adjective)

Ill-humored is a different word from Humor. The synonyms below are for ill-humored, not for humor.

  1. having or showing a habitually bad temper

    "an ill-humored person should probably not take a job that requires dealing with the public"

    similar: acid, bearish, bilious, bloody-minded (chiefly British), cantankerous, disagreeable, dyspeptic, ill-natured, ill-tempered, ornery, splenetic, surly
    related: choleric, crabby, cranky, crotchety, fussy, grouchy, grumpy, querulous, irascible, irritable, peevish, peppery, petulant, quick-tempered, short-tempered, snappish, snippy, testy, touchy, argumentative, contentious, contrary, cussed, angry, exasperated, indignant, irate, mad, upset, uptight, depressed, dour, glum, morose, sullen, anal, old-maidish, schoolmarmish
    opposite: amiable, good-humored, good-natured, good-tempered
    near: agreeable, amicable, congenial, friendly, pleasant, benign, gentle, kind, nice, sweet, bubbly, cheerful, cheery, effervescent, exuberant, high-spirited, joyful, lighthearted, lively, vivacious, content, glad, happy, calm, placid, serene, long-suffering, patient, tolerant

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Humor

The most common words with a similar meaning to Humor:

comedy, comic, comicality, drollery, drollness, funniness, hilariousness, humorousness, richness, uproariousness, farce, slapstick, cheer, feather, mode, mood, spirit, temper, bee, caprice, crank, fancy, freak, kink, maggot, megrim, notion, vagary, vagrancy, whim, whimsy, frame of mind, bee in one's bonnet, cater (to), gratify, indulge

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Humor

Words with the opposite meaning of Humor:

pathos

Related Words for Humor

amusement, enjoyment, fun, pleasure, absurdity, irony, laughableness, ludicrousness, ridiculousness, whimsicality, wittiness, wryness, burlesque, caricature, jest, lampoon, parody, satire, spoof, takeoff, jocularity, jokiness, playfulness, waggishness, high comedy, low comedy, improv, stand-up, banter, persiflage

Near Antonyms of Humor

agony, anguish, dolor, grief, heartache, heartbreak, misery, sorrow, torment, torture, tribulation, woe, gravity, seriousness, soberness, solemnity, solemnness, somberness, bridle, check, constrain, curb, inhibit, restrain, stifle

Word Forms of Humor

Inflections: humors, humored, humoring

Origin & Etymology of Humor

Middle English humour, from Anglo-French umor, umour, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin humor, from Latin humor, umor moisture; akin to Old Norse vǫkr damp, Latin humēre to be moist, and perhaps to Greek hygros wet

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Humor

Words & Phrases Containing Humor

aqueous humor, gallows humor, out of humor, vitreous humor, good humor, sense of humor, ill-humored

Frequently Asked Questions about Humor

What does "Humor" mean?

"Humor" means that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous, a funny or amusing quality. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous, a funny or amusing quality. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Humor"?

Other words for "Humor" include comedy, comic, comicality, drollery, drollness, funniness, hilariousness and humorousness. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Humor" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Humor"?

There are 136 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Humor". Common alternatives include comedy, comic, comicality, drollery, drollness, funniness, hilariousness, humorousness, richness and uproariousness.

What is the opposite of "Humor"?

Antonyms of "Humor" include pathos. Near antonyms include agony, anguish, dolor and grief.

How do you use "Humor" in a sentence?

Examples of "Humor" in a sentence: "we failed to see any humor in his mean and juvenile jokes"; "a screenwriter best known for lowbrow humor"; "the prospect of going out to dinner put her in a good humor all day".

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

"Humor" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

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

As a B2-level word, "Humor" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Humor"?

"Humor" is pronounced /ˈhyü-mər/ and divided into syllables as hu·mor.