sketch comedy
3 synonyms and 2 antonyms for sketch comedy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A form of comedy made up of a series of short self-contained scenes, each with its own characters and single comic premise, performed by a troupe rather than built into one continuous story.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
sitcom
stand-up
How to use sketch comedy
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
sketch comedy show
sketch comedy troupe
write sketch comedy
a sketch comedy series
Neutral. The individual scenes are sketches; the show is a sketch show; the performers are a sketch group or troupe.
Etymology
A compound of sketch, in the sense of a brief and lightly drawn piece, and comedy.
Full origin of sketch comedy →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between sketch comedy and stand-up?
Stand-up is one performer talking directly to an audience as themselves, telling jokes and stories. Sketch comedy has performers playing characters in short scenes with dialogue, costumes and a fourth wall, usually in a group.
What is the difference between sketch comedy and improv?
Sketch is written in advance, edited and rehearsed until the timing is exact. Improv is invented live from an audience suggestion and is never performed the same way twice, though many sketch writers use improv to generate material.
What is the difference between sketch comedy and a sitcom?
A sitcom follows the same characters in the same setting across a whole series, so jokes build on things the audience already knows. Sketch comedy resets completely between scenes, so every sketch has to establish its own world in seconds.
