hysterical

[ hi-ster-i-kuhl ]
See synonyms for: hystericalhysterically on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. uncontrollably emotional.

  2. irrational from fear, emotion, or an emotional shock.

  1. causing unrestrained laughter; very funny: Oh, that joke is hysterical!

  2. Psychoanalysis, Psychiatry.

    • of, relating to, or characterized by hysteria: hysterical psychosis.

    • causing hysteria.

    • experiencing or subject to hysteria: hysterical patients.

Origin of hysterical

1
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin hysteric(us) hysteric + -al1

Other words for hysterical

Other words from hysterical

  • hys·ter·i·cal·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·hys·ter·i·cal, adjective
  • post·hys·ter·i·cal, adjective
  • sem·i·hys·ter·i·cal, adjective
  • un·hys·ter·i·cal, adjective

Words that may be confused with hysterical

Words Nearby hysterical

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hysterical in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hysterical

hysterical

hysteric

/ (hɪˈstɛrɪkəl) /


adjective
  1. of or suggesting hysteria: hysterical cries

  2. suffering from hysteria

  1. informal wildly funny

Derived forms of hysterical

  • hysterically, adverb

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