hilarity
Americannoun
-
cheerfulness; merriment; mirthfulness.
-
boisterous gaiety or merriment.
noun
Related Words
See mirth.
Other Word Forms
- hyperhilarity noun
Etymology
Origin of hilarity
1560–70; earlier hilaritie, from Latin hilaritās, equivalent to hilari(s) ( hilarious ) + -tās -ty 2
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.
In recent years, creator Bill Lawrence has struck chords with emotional, warm-hearted hits like “Ted Lasso” and “Shrinking,” but this is where his blend of heart and hilarity really came together.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 30, 2026
Kate Riley follows Ruth from childhood to middle age, writing with kindness, hilarity and aphoristic brilliance about this eccentric woman, a lost lamb who never actually leaves the safety of the flock.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025
The prime minister made the juggling hand gesture that accompanies the reference, prompting class-wide hilarity.
From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025
Cassandra Peterson understands the power of a movie night — or more specifically, the kind of movie night that wobbles between horror and hilarity, where the fake blood maybe gleams brighter than the budget.
From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025
The girls sensed their immunity and their laughter grew louder, into cackles of hilarity and derision.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Definitions 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.
