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noun C1 Advanced Uncommon

farce

fahs

Farce (noun) means a comedy built on exaggerated, improbable situations. Example: “The play is a farce about mistaken identities at a wedding.”

noun
1
A comedy built on exaggerated, improbable situations.
"The play is a farce about mistaken identities at a wedding."
2
A situation so ridiculous or mismanaged it becomes absurd.
"The trial descended into a farce after the key witness vanished."

How to Use Farce

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a silly, exaggerated comedy, or a real situation so badly handled it becomes absurd.

Common pairings
a complete farce descend into farce

Word Forms

farces plural

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Test yourself on “farce” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The play is a _____ about mistaken identities at a wedding.

Etymology

From Old French farse, "stuffing," from Latin farcire, "to stuff" — the comic-theatre sense grew from the idea of stuffing a play with jokes and business, the same way you'd stuff a dish.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for farce

See all rhymes for farce →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “farce” mean?

The word “farce” means a comedy built on exaggerated, improbable situations. In plain terms, either a silly, exaggerated comedy, or a real situation so badly handled it becomes absurd.

How do you pronounce “farce”?

“Farce” is pronounced fahs (/fɑɹs/ in IPA).

How do you use “farce” in a sentence?

Here is “farce” used in a sentence: “The play is a farce about mistaken identities at a wedding.”

What part of speech is “farce”?

“Farce” is a noun.

Where does the word “farce” come from?

The word “farce” comes from Latin. From Old French farse, "stuffing," from Latin farcire, "to stuff" — the comic-theatre sense grew from the idea of stuffing a play with jokes and business, the same way you'd stuff a dish.

Is “farce” a common word?

“Farce” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

How many meanings does “farce” have?

“Farce” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a comedy built on exaggerated, improbable situations.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial