farce

[ fahrs ]

noun

1. a light, humorous play in which the plot depends upon a skillfully exploited situation rather than upon the development of character.
2. humor of the type displayed in such works.
3. foolish show; mockery; a ridiculous sham.

   Synonyms: travesty, burlesque

4. Cooking. forcemeat.

verb (used with object)

, farced, farc·ing.

1. to season (a speech or composition), especially with witty material.
2. Obsolete. to stuff; cram.

farce

/ fɑːs /

noun

1. a broadly humorous play based on the exploitation of improbable situations
2. the genre of comedy represented by works of this kind
3. a ludicrous situation or action
4. Alsofarcemeat another name for forcemeat

verb

1. to enliven (a speech, etc) with jokes
2. to stuff (meat, fowl, etc) with forcemeat

Other Words From

• un·farced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of farce¹

First recorded in 1300–50; (for the noun) Middle English fars “stuffing,” from Middle French farce, from Vulgar Latin farsa (unrecorded), noun use of feminine of Latin farsus, earlier fartus “stuffed,” past participle of farcīre “to stuff”; (for the verb) Middle English farsen, from Old French farcir, from Latin farcīre

Word History and Origins

Origin of farce¹

C14 (in the sense: stuffing): from Old French, from Latin farcīre to stuff, interpolate passages (in the mass, in religious plays, etc)

Example Sentences

Skill, audacity and patience, criminal connections, a fair amount of luck, and inspiration from a Sherlock Holmes story culminated in a weekend of high drama and barely believable farce.

From BBC

When Baker dives into the repercussions, “Anora” slows down and transforms from a slapstick farce to a true character study, and it’s then when the film shines its brightest.

From Salon

As a picture of chaos — which is really all “The Franchise” presents — it can sometimes be effective, though accelerating to the level of farce.

From Los Angeles Times

“The implication that the humanitarian situation has markedly improved in Gaza is a farce,” said Scott Paul, an associate director at Oxfam.

From Salon

At a time when the future of Test cricket is debated, this was a scene of high farce.

From BBC

Related Words

• absurdity
• burlesque
• caricature
• comedy
• joke
• mockery
• parody
• sham
• skit
• slapstick
• travesty