hysterically

[ hi-ster-ik-lee ]

adverb

1. in an unrestrained or uncontrolled way:

   Whatever she’s thinking comes out her mouth, so the whole team was hysterically laughing at her commentary on our game films.

   Keisha slid to the damp pavement in a heap and buried her face in her hands, sobbing hysterically.

2. in a way that is very funny:

   My friend's daughter is hysterically paranoid about autoflush toilets, so we’re always on the lookout for a traditional toilet just in case.

3. stemming from or caused by conversion disorder:

   A group of hysterically blind Cambodian women in California are the largest group of such people known in the world.

Other Words From

• sem·i·hys·ter·i·cal·ly adverb
• un·hys·ter·i·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hysterically¹

hysterical ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Each episode of this hysterical podcast takes on a chapter of Rocky’s book, Belinda Blinked.

From Ozy

While the plot can be hysterical and the styling is off the wall, the central friendship is not just believable, but also endearing.

From Time

From his hysterical tone, you would think the cancellation of some book six months from now was the quintessential tragedy of this month in Washington.

From Washington Post

Everyone calling it a coup, or a mob, or an insurrection was hysterical.

From Washington Post

He got hysterical out of jealously and he was always hitting people.

From Washington Blade

When not screaming or yelling hysterically, Samuel is brandishing makeshift weapons and pushing his cousins off a tree house.

From The Daily Beast

I mean, come on, this is the stuff of heartbreaking and hysterically funny reading, the two main ingredients for any great memoir.

From The Daily Beast

Laughing hysterically or getting drunk is another way of processing extreme pain.

From The Daily Beast

Jared Leto, in the front row, could see DeGeneres and was laughing hysterically.

From The Daily Beast

Later in production, he reportedly got her drunk and slapped her until she was crying hysterically enough to nail a scene.

From The Daily Beast

Grace was sobbing hysterically, but Harriet, clasping her fondly in her arms, looked up at him.

From Project Gutenberg

The medium moaned and wrung her hands hysterically, her breath coming in quick gasps.

From Project Gutenberg

The girl sprang up and clasped her around the neck, sobbing hysterically.

From Project Gutenberg

The woman unlocked the cabin-door and entered, finding Nita sobbing hysterically upon the old ragged lounge.

From Project Gutenberg

The two Turkish women, who are on the high side, roll violently down on to us, screaming and sobbing hysterically.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• crazily
• desperately
• energetically
• excitedly
• foolishly
• frantically
• furiously
• hastily
• intensely
• passionately
• recklessly
• tumultuously
• violently