HYSTERICAL Synonyms: 226 Similar and Opposite Words

hysterical

adjective

hi-ˈster-i-kəl

variants also hysteric

Definition of hysterical

as in funny

causing or intended to cause laughter some of the things little kids come out with are hysterical

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in agitated

feeling overwhelming fear or worry the police officer assured the mother that there was no need to get hysterical, for most missing children are found safe and sound

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in frightened

filled with fear or dread upon hearing the announcement that a shark had been sighted, hysterical beachgoers raced out of the water

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of hysterical This comic novel is set in a hysterical vision of the year 2045, in which what was once the United States has been split apart by a civil war between liberals and a MAGA-like rebel group. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 An operator answers a call from a hysterical woman begging for help. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026 After years of the WNBA being ignored, the hysterical reaction to an obvious, common-sense position has made it into a laughingstock. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Maher has spent decades as an increasingly acidic monitor of his homeland’s hysterical politics on his HBO show, Real Time. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hysterical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hysterical

Adjective

And Widow’s Bay was, of course, very successful at alternating between scary and funny bits.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Ashton was charming, funny, ridiculously handsome, and fascinated by all things tech.

— Chuck Lorre, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of funny

Adjective

When the door finally opened, an agitated young man who resembled Ryan Gosling (Rett Keeter) shined an LED flashlight directly into my eyes, a gesture that would become familiar over the next hour.

— Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Altercations between agitated people with dementia and other residents or workers charged with caring for them are disturbingly common in long-term care facilities and private homes.

— Jordan Rau, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of agitated

Adjective

Silvestri used a large orchestra to create a score that played the heist completely straight, despite its humorous premise.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Pledging love and respecting someone or a relationship can make people feel so uncomfortable that leaning into these tropes of life can feel humorous, and that’s where the laughs from a Hallmark film come from.

— Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of humorous

Adjective

The latter seemed distraught over the fact that his first postseason had just ended with a sweep in the ALDS.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Sun, who was given a wild card entry by tournament organizers and was making her WTA Tour debut, appeared distraught after the loss.

— CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of distraught

Adjective

Directed by Shen Chunyang and written by Ma Duo, the satirical family feature stars real-life comedic couple Shen Chunyang and Xiao Shenyang alongside Jia Bing and Yu Yang.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Artificial is pointedly funnier than his other work, including a large comedic performance by Ike Barinholtz as Musk, even as an existential dread permeates.

— E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of comedic

Adjective

Chanel doesn’t take pre-orders, so collection launches are typically frantic, as clients swoop down on previews to secure the best pieces.

— Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
With its silly oversized thumbs and frantic shaking needed to escape pins, this mini-game is one example of how a game like Nintendo Switch Sports Resort could make some older gamers feel self-conscious.

— Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of frantic

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hysteria

hysterical

hysterics

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“Hysterical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysterical. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hysterical

adjective

Example Sentences

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