comical
Americanadjective
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producing laughter; amusing; funny.
a comical fellow.
-
Obsolete. pertaining to or of the nature of comedy.
adjective
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causing laughter
-
ludicrous; laughable
Synonym Usage
See amusing.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of comical
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at comic, -al 1
Explanation
Something comical is humorous, amusing, silly, or just plain funny; it makes people laugh. When you think comical, think laughter-causing. Stand-up comedians and comic strips intend to be comical. People like to share comical moments: for example, by posting videos of their pets doing comical things, like a dog going bananas in a water sprinkler. Just like the dog doesn't know it's being funny, people are unintentionally comical too. If a person absorbed in his cell phone conversation falls down a manhole, many will find it comical.
Vocabulary lists containing comical
Out of the Dust
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List 2
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Funny
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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.
Herbert’s pass-catchers have been inconsistent, too, struggling with pre-snap communication, frustrating — sometimes comical — drops and, of course, injuries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
The unresolved trade issues between the two sides, a list that is almost comical in both its breadth and specificity, suggests why Ford has so much pull.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
But a comical piece of equipment might be saving his season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Former scrum-half Matt Dawson described England's discipline as "verging on comical" after their number of yellow cards for the year reached 14 in the chaotic 31-24 controversial win over Argentina.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Matthias cut a comical little figure as he wobbled his way along the cloisters, with his large sandals flip-flopping and his tail peeping from beneath the baggy folds of an oversized novice’s habit.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
