Dictionary.com

funny

1
[ fuhn-ee ]
/ ˈfʌn i /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: funny / funnier / funniest / funnies on Thesaurus.com

adjective, fun·ni·er, fun·ni·est.

noun, plural fun·nies.

Informal. a funny remark or story; a joke: to make a funny.
funnies,
  1. comic strips.
  2. Also called funny paper. the section of a newspaper reserved for comic strips, word games, etc.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
Question 1 of 7
Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
their
there
they're
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of funny

1
First recorded in 1750–60; fun + -y1

synonym study for funny

1. 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.

OTHER WORDS FROM funny

fun·ni·ly, adverbfun·ni·ness, nounun·fun·ni·ly, adverbun·fun·ni·ness, noun

Words nearby funny

funnel cloud, funnelform, funnel-shaped pelvis, funnel-web, funnies, funny, funny bone, funny book, funny business, funny farm, funnyman

Definition for funny (2 of 2)

funny2
[ fuhn-ee ]
/ ˈfʌn i /

noun, plural fun·nies.

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

Origin of funny

2
First recorded in 1790–1800; perhaps jocular use of funny1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

VOCAB BUILDER

What is a basic definition of funny?

Funny describes something that causes fun, especially laughter. Funny can describe someone who is trying to amuse others. It can also describe someone or something that is suspicious or odd. Funny has a few other senses as an adjective and a noun.

Funny describes something that is amusing and causes people to laugh. Something that amuses people without causing laughter is usually said to be fun rather than funny. For example, a roller coaster would be called fun, while a knock-knock joke would be called funny. If something is not funny, it is unfunny.

Real-life examples: Many people consider clowns, jokes, comedies, pranks, and Internet memes to be funny. These things cause most people to laugh.

Used in a sentence: The comedian knew a lot of funny jokes. 

Funny also describes someone who is trying to get others to laugh or is trying to amuse them. This sense of funny is a synonym of facetious.

Used in a sentence: Joan took the comment as an insult even though Luke was just trying to be funny. 

Funny also describes someone or something that is suspicious or underhanded. You might use this sense when you think something dishonest is going on. The phrase funny business is used in this sense to refer to criminal or unethical activity.

Real-life examples: Rigged carnival games, overly friendly salespeople, and deals that seem too good to be true often cause people to think something funny is going on.

Used in a sentence: We think something funny is going on at that store on the corner that is never open.

Funny can also describe something that is strange, odd, or curious.

Real-life examples: If your leg falls asleep, you will probably walk funny. Two tomatoes that grow together to make one tomato might have a funny shape.

Used in a sentence: I think the speakers might be broken because the music sounds funny. 

Where does funny come from?

The first records of funny come from the 1750s. It comes from a combination of the word fun, meaning “enjoyment or amusement,” and the suffix -y, which means “characterized by” or “bringing about.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to funny?

  • funnily (adverb)
  • funniness (noun)
  • unfunnily (adverb)
  • unfunniness (noun)

What are some synonyms for funny?

What are some words that share a root or word element with funny? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing funny?

How is funny used in real life?

Funny is a very common word with several different meanings. It is most often used to mean something or someone that makes people laugh.

 

 

Try using funny!

If something is funny, it will most likely cause you to:

A. cry
B. laugh
C. scream
D. think

Words related to funny

whimsical, droll, ludicrous, playful, ridiculous, silly, amusing, hilarious, entertaining, absurd, unusual, strange, mysterious, curious, weird, bizarre, riot, gay, gas, humdinger

Example sentences from the Web for funny

British Dictionary definitions for funny

funny
/ (ˈfʌnɪ) /

adjective -nier or -niest

causing amusement or laughter; humorous; comical
peculiar; odd
suspicious or dubious (esp in the phrase funny business)
informal faint or illto feel funny

noun plural -nies

informal a joke or witticism

Derived forms of funny

funnily, adverbfunniness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with funny

funny
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Book Your Online Tutor Now