humor

15 synonyms for humor, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The quality that makes something funny, or the ability to find and enjoy what is funny.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

comedy mood

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

wit temper humour disposition indulge accommodate

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

funniness drollery witticism wittiness frame of mind play along with pander to

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The quality that makes something funny, or the ability to find and enjoy what is funny.

“The film's humor is dry and easy to miss.”

comedy wit funniness drollery temper humour mood witticism wittiness

2. noun somewhat formal

The mood or state of mind someone is in at a particular moment.

“The boss was in a foul humor all morning.”

mood temper frame of mind disposition

3. verb

To go along with what someone wants, even though you think they are being unreasonable, in order to keep them content.

“Just humor him and pretend you have not heard the story before.”

indulge accommodate play along with pander to humour

How to use humor

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

sense of humor dry humor dark humor gallows humor humor me

Neutral. Use humor for American audiences and humour elsewhere, and keep the choice consistent across a document.

Etymology

From Latin humor meaning 'moisture' or 'fluid', through the medieval theory that four bodily fluids governed a person's temperament.

Full origin of humor →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between humor and humour?

None in meaning. Humor is the American spelling and humour is used in Britain, Ireland, Australia and elsewhere. Both keep the u in humorous, and Americans write humorless where the British write humourless.

What were the four humors?

Blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. Ancient and medieval medicine held that the balance between them decided a person's health and personality, which is why humor came to mean mood and then wit.

What is the difference between humor and wit?

Humor is the broader quality of being funny and is often warm and situational. Wit is sharper and verbal, depending on quickness and clever phrasing rather than on sympathy.

People also searched

comedy mood accommodate wit humour disposition temper indulge witticism funniness wittiness drollery

Nearby words

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