slapstick comedy

4 synonyms and 3 antonyms for slapstick comedy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — Comedy that gets its laughs from broad physical action — falls, chases, collisions, thrown pies and improbable accidents — rather than from dialogue or wit.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

farce

Rare, literary or technical

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

physical comedy knockabout comedy buffoonery

Antonyms

wit dry humour satire

How to use slapstick comedy

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

broad slapstick silent-era slapstick slapstick routine veer into slapstick

Neutral, though calling something slapstick can imply it is unsubtle. Often shortened to just slapstick.

Etymology

From the slapstick, a stage prop made of two thin boards hinged so that striking someone produced a loud crack with almost no force, allowing pretend beatings to sound violent and look painless.

Full origin of slapstick comedy →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between slapstick and farce?

Slapstick is a technique — the physical gag itself, the pratfall or the pie. Farce is a whole dramatic structure built on absurd situations and mistaken identity. A farce is usually full of slapstick, but a single slapstick gag in an otherwise serious film does not make it a farce.

Why is it called slapstick?

It is named after a real prop: two flat pieces of wood hinged at one end, which made a loud slapping crack on impact while delivering hardly any force. Performers could appear to beat each other soundly without anyone being hurt.

Is slapstick still used today?

Yes, though it now tends to appear inside other forms rather than as a whole genre. Animation, children's television and action comedies all rely heavily on slapstick timing.

People also searched

wit satire farce buffoonery

Nearby words

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