B2adjective5K

Humorous

UK /["/ˈhjuːmərəs/"]/US /["/ˈhjuːmərəs/"]/

Definition

funny; showing a sense of humour

In simple words: Funny or making you laugh.

Examples

  • He gave a humorous account of their trip to Spain.
  • It's a humorous look at the world of fashion.
  • The show offers a humorous take on family life.
  • He had a wide mouth and humorous grey eyes.
  • The film is delightfully humorous in the best traditions of romantic comedy.
  • The stories range from the darkly humorous to the despairing.
  • She had not intended to be humorous.

Usage notes

Use 'humorous' in both spoken and written contexts when describing something that is funny. It's suitable for a variety of audiences, but may sound somewhat formal in casual conversations. 'Funny' is more commonly used in informal situations.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Humorous sounds like 'humor us', imagine a stand-up comedian making everyone laugh.

Collocations

  • be
  • become
  • find something
  • extremely
  • fairly
  • very

Synonyms

  • funny
  • comical
  • amusing
  • witty
  • hilarious

Antonyms

  • serious
  • grave
  • sombre

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'humoristic', which is less common.
  • Incorrectly using 'humorous' as a verb.
  • Using 'humorous' in overly serious contexts.