funny

¹

[ fuhn-ee ]

adjective

, fun·ni·er, fun·ni·est.

1. providing fun; causing amusement or laughter; amusing; comical:

   a funny remark;

   a funny person.

   Synonyms: humorous, facetious, witty, droll, ridiculous, farcical, comic, diverting

2. attempting to amuse; facetious:

   Did you really mean that or were you just being funny?

3. warranting suspicion; deceitful; underhanded:

   We thought there was something funny about those extra charges.

4. Informal. insolent; impertinent:

   Don't get funny with me, young man!

5. curious; strange; peculiar; odd:

   Her speech has a funny twang.

noun

, plural fun·nies.

1. Informal. a funny remark or story; a joke:

   to make a funny.

2. funnies,
   1. comic strips ( def ).
   2. Also called funny paper. the section of a newspaper reserved for comic strips, word games, etc.

funny

²

[ fuhn-ee ]

noun

, plural fun·nies.

1. a shell or light skiff rowed by one person with sculls.

funny

/ ˈfʌnɪ /

adjective

1. causing amusement or laughter; humorous; comical
2. peculiar; odd
3. suspicious or dubious (esp in the phrase funny business )
4. informal.
   faint or ill

   to feel funny

noun

1. informal.
   a joke or witticism

Derived Forms

• ˈfunniness, noun
• ˈfunnily, adverb

Other Words From

• funni·ly adverb
• funni·ness noun
• un·funni·ly adverb
• un·funni·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of funny¹

First recorded in 1730–40; fun + -y ¹

Origin of funny²

First recorded in 1780–90; perhaps jocular use of funny ¹

Idioms and Phrases

• fun

Synonym Study

Funny, laughable, ludicrous refer to that which excites laughter. Funny and laughable are both applied to that which provokes laughter or deserves to be laughed at; funny is a colloquial term loosely applied and in popular use is commonly interchangeable with the other terms: a funny story, scene, joke; a laughable incident, mistake. That which is ludicrous excites laughter by its incongruity and foolish absurdity: The monkey's attempts to imitate the woman were ludicrous.

Example Sentences

Not only had the iconic comedian sexually assaulted many, many women, Maher argued, “I never thought he was funny.”

From The Daily Beast

The taste of metal cutlery after years of plastic can also taste funny.

From The Daily Beast

But as is her way, Kaling defended why the episode was not only funny, but necessary.

From The Daily Beast

He was funny and self-effacing, though prone to fits of anger.

From The Daily Beast

Pryor was famous for being funny, even as his life was far from funny.

From The Daily Beast

May looked along at the dimpled grace, And then at the saint-like, fair old face, “How funny!”

From Project Gutenberg

We were speaking of the faculty of mimicry, and he told me such a funny little anecdote about Chopin.

From Project Gutenberg

He looked up, half shutting his one funny eye, and cocking one ear up, and letting the other droop down.

From Project Gutenberg

I am an easiful old pagan, and I am not angry with you at all—you funny, little champion of the Most High.

From Project Gutenberg

He walked first to one side, and then the other, rooting in the dirt with his funny, rubbery nose.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• absurd
• amusing
• droll
• entertaining
• hilarious
• ludicrous
• playful
• ridiculous
• silly
• whimsical