View synonyms for gallows humor

gallows humor

noun

humor that treats serious, frightening, or painful subject matter in a light or satirical way.

First recorded in 1900–05

Gallows humor has always served him and other activists well; it had to in such dark times.

There was a lot more gallows humor and a lot less talking about your feelings.

Over the next week, he entertained his three children and six grandchildren with his famous gallows humor.

Needless to say, the gallows humor that is a hallmark of my former profession has lost much of its luster.

Some would-be SEALs turn to gallows humor to endure the pain, telling themselves “the only easy day was yesterday.”

And his bitter gallows humor had furnished a wry relief to grim reality.

Valentine, in fact, was seized by that desperate merriment which is known as gallows humor.

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