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dark comedy

American  

noun

  1. a play, movie, etc., having elements of comedy and tragedy, often involving gloomy or morbid satire.

  2. a comedy based on problems of a personal or social nature.


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.

See Examples For:

The dark comedy about a New England island beset by supernatural terrors is both exceedingly clever and genuinely terrifying.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 8, 2026

Tatiana Maslany and Jake Johnson spoke about their new dark comedy thriller series on Apple TV and what they would do in a scenario where they are being scammed.

From Los Angeles Times May 20, 2026

Like Doherty, Aimee Lou Wood is up for both best actress and best supporting actress - for BBC Three comedy-drama Film Club and HBO/Sky dark comedy The White Lotus respectively.

From BBC May 9, 2026

A dark comedy is only as successful as its bleakest jokes.

From Salon Apr. 9, 2026

Her diary entry the next day makes her teamwork with Dina—whom Zhenya adored—sound like a kind of dark comedy duo.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

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