hysterical
hih-STEH-rih-kuhl
Hysterical (adjective) means Overcome with extreme, uncontrollable emotion, especially fear or distress. Example: “She became hysterical after hearing the news.”
adjective
1
Overcome with extreme, uncontrollable emotion, especially fear or distress.
"She became hysterical after hearing the news."
2
Informal: extremely funny.
"His impression of the teacher was hysterical."
How to use hysterical
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither "out of control emotionally" or, casually, "hilarious."
When to use it
The "extremely funny" sense is informal and common in spoken English.
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more hysterical
- Superlative
- most hysterical
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She became _____ after hearing the news.
Etymology
From hysteric + -al, ultimately from Greek hystera ("womb").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for hysterical
See all rhymes for hysterical →Frequently asked questions
What does “hysterical” mean?
The word “hysterical” means overcome with extreme, uncontrollable emotion, especially fear or distress. In plain terms, either "out of control emotionally" or, casually, "hilarious.".
How do you pronounce “hysterical”?
“Hysterical” is pronounced hih-STEH-rih-kuhl (/hɪˈstɛɹɪkəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “hysterical” in a sentence?
Here is “hysterical” used in a sentence: “She became hysterical after hearing the news.”
What part of speech is “hysterical”?
“Hysterical” is an adjective.
Where does the word “hysterical” come from?
The word “hysterical” comes from Greek. From hysteric + -al, ultimately from Greek hystera ("womb").
Is “hysterical” a common word?
“Hysterical” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.
How many meanings does “hysterical” have?
“Hysterical” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: overcome with extreme, uncontrollable emotion, especially fear or distress.
