Hysterical — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Hysterical (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. causing or intended to cause laughter

   "some of the things little kids come out with are hysterical"

   similar: antic, chucklesome, comedic, comic, comical, droll, farcical, funny, hilarious, humoristic, humorous, killing, laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, riotous, risible, screaming, sidesplitting, uproarious
   related: amusing, diverting, entertaining, clownish, knockabout, slapstick, slapsticky, zany, facetious, flip, flippant, pert, smart, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, snickery, jocular, playful, waggish, campy, jokey, priceless, rich, whimsical, witty, wry, blithesome, gleeful, jocose, jocund, jolly, jovial, laughing, mad, merry, mirthful
   opposite: humorless, lame, unamusing, uncomic, unfunny, unhumorous, unhysterical
   near: earnest, grave, no-nonsense, sedate, serious, severe, sober, sobersided, solemn, somber, staid, unsmiling, weighty, affecting, moving, poignant, touching, tragic, lachrymose, mournful, sad, sorrowful, tearful, woeful

2. feeling overwhelming fear or worry

   "the police officer assured the mother that there was no need to get hysterical, for most missing children are found safe and sound"

   similar: agitated, delirious, distracted, distrait, distraught, frantic, frenzied, beside oneself
   related: alarmed, anxious, disquieted, disturbed, nervous, perturbed, tense, troubled, upset, worried, wrought (up), affrighted, aghast, fearful, frightened, horrified, scared, spooked, terrified, terrorized, ballistic, berserk, crazed, demented, deranged, mad, maniacal, nuclear, raging, ranting, raving
   opposite: collected, composed, recollected, self-collected, self-composed, self-possessed, unhysterical
   near: calm, peaceful, placid, self-possessed, serene, tranquil, cool, coolheaded, undisturbed, unperturbed, unshaken, untroubled, unworried

3. filled with fear or dread

   "upon hearing the announcement that a shark had been sighted, hysterical beachgoers raced out of the water"

   similar: affrighted, afraid, aghast, alarmed, fearful, frightened, horrified, horror-struck, scared, scary, shocked, spooked, terrified, terrorized
   related: chicken, fainthearted, fearsome, shrinking, shy, timid, timorous, tremulant, tremulous, agitated, anxious, apprehensive, disconcerted, disquieted, disturbed, funky, jittery, jumpy, nervous, panicked, panicky, panic-stricken, perturbed, skittish, uneasy, upset, worried, phobic, appalled, dismayed, startled, cowed, daunted, intimidated, unnerved, coward, cowardly, craven, gutless, lily-livered, pusillanimous, careful, cautious, heedful, prudent, unadventurous, wary
   opposite: fearless, unafraid
   near: adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, bold, daredevil, daring, dashing, gutsy, plucky, spirited, spunky, venturesome, venturous, brave, courageous, gallant, hardy, heroic, intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, valiant, valorous, assured, collected, composed, confident, cool, sanguine, sure, unperturbed, dauntless, resolute, undaunted