adjective
-
having a tendency to laugh
-
causing laughter; ridiculous
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of risible
1550–60; < Late Latin rīsibilis that can laugh, equivalent to Latin rīs ( us ) laughed (past participle of rīdēre to laugh) + -ibilis -ible
Explanation
Risible describes something that is laughable or amusing, like seeing dozens of clowns emerge from a very tiny car. Risible is a fun word to say (it rhymes with visible), but it's not used all that much, maybe because it's a little formal. If you started saying the word risible all the time, that itself might be a little bit risible. Fun — and less stuffy — synonyms include amusing, comic, comical, funny, laughable, and mirthful.
Vocabulary lists containing risible
Tricky Terms for April Fool's Day
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"Hapworth 16, 1924" by J.D. Salinger
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And the current deal also comes with notable concessions that clamp down on some of Live Nation’s most risible business practices.
From Slate ● Mar. 10, 2026
It’s clear that George has married above himself, but his shortcomings come off as risible rather than oppressive, and it’s hard not to feel protective of him as he’s being pummeled to a pulp.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2026
Her works achieve the difficult feat of synthesizing a coma-inducing dullness with piercingly shrill extended diatribes to create reverse masterpieces worthy of the most risible North Korean propaganda.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2024
The story is absurd, the dialogue snort-out-loud risible, the fights uninspired.
From New York Times ● Feb. 14, 2024
This, on being set fire to, causes a loud explosion, and not a little disconcerts the nerves of the smoker; nor does it fail to move the risible features of the lookers-on.
From The whole Secret laid Open The complete art of making the chemical fulminating objects by Anonymous
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
