hysterical

[hi-ster-i-kuhl]

adjective

1. uncontrollably emotional.

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

3. causing unrestrained laughter; very funny.

   Oh, that joke is hysterical!

   Synonyms: ludicrous, laughable, uproarious, hilarious

4. Psychoanalysis, Psychiatry.

   1. of, relating to, or characterized by hysteria.

      hysterical psychosis.

   2. causing hysteria.

   3. experiencing or subject to hysteria.

      hysterical patients.

hysterical

/ hɪˈstɛrɪkəl /

adjective

1. of or suggesting hysteria

   hysterical cries

2. suffering from hysteria

3. informal,  wildly funny

Other Word Forms

• hysterically adverb
• overhysterical adjective
• posthysterical adjective
• semihysterical adjective
• unhysterical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hysterical¹

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

Example Sentences

The press’s hysterical reaction was perhaps inevitable given the convention of describing it as an “administration plan,” a “White House plan,” with the implied institutional imprimatur.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There really is—and again, I’m not hysterical on the subject, but I do believe that there is a pattern with Pat Buchanan of needling the Jews.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The election of Zohran Mamdani, the first Muslim and millennial to lead New York City, notably drew bigoted and hysterical responses from many on the right.

Read more on Salon

The night her husband tried to knock down the door, her son was hysterical.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The initial headlines were so outrageous I assumed they represented a hysterical media overreaction to some mild remark.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• agitated 
• crazy 
• distraught 
• emotional 
• frantic 
• frenzied 
• furious 
• impassioned 
• mad 
• nervous 
• neurotic 
• overwrought 
• passionate 
• uncontrollable 
• vehement 
• violent 

When To Use

More context on hysterical

In everyday usage, hysterical means "uncontrollably emotional."But guess who usually gets marked with that label? Women. What’s more, hysterical comes from the Greek word for "womb." It was once thought that hysteria was a condition that only affected women—and was caused by disturbances in the uterus.

Given the sexism associated with this word, hysterical isn’t exactly a laughing matter.

If knowing the history of hysterical has got you reflecting on your word choices, this slideshow, "These Common Words Have Offensive Histories," discusses many other words whose place in your vocab you may want to reconsider.