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hysterical
[ hi-ster-i-kuhl ]
adjective
- uncontrollably emotional.
- irrational from fear, emotion, or an emotional shock.
- causing unrestrained laughter; very funny:
Oh, that joke is hysterical!
Synonyms: ludicrous, laughable, uproarious, hilarious
- Psychoanalysis, Psychiatry.
hysterical
/ hɪˈstɛrɪkəl /
adjective
- of or suggesting hysteria
hysterical cries
- suffering from hysteria
- informal.wildly funny
Derived Forms
- hysˈterically, adverb
Other Words From
- hys·ter·i·cal·ly adverb
- o·ver·hys·ter·i·cal adjective
- post·hys·ter·i·cal adjective
- sem·i·hys·ter·i·cal adjective
- un·hys·ter·i·cal adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of hysterical1
Example Sentences
Jesse Watters unlocked new frontiers in conservative psychology on Friday, saying on Fox News' "The Five" that "dad" Donald Trump was going to kick off a "hysterical" program of mass deportation.
Despite all the hysterical proclamations about emasculation, men have nothing to fear from President Kamala Harris.
Ms Spencer told the court she had heard "crying", "rattling of doors", "a lot of door slamming" and "hysterical screaming at the children" coming from the flat.
It’s a hysterical sequence for us viewers, but amid the laughs, we always remember Ani’s shock and confusion, which remain at the forefront throughout the film’s central search for Ivan.
The hysterical screaming didn’t seem to stop but it didn’t bother me because, of course, I was also screaming my lungs out.
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Related Words
About This Word
More context on hysterical
In everyday usage, hysterical means “uncontrollably emotional.”
But guess who usually gets marked with that label? Women. What’s more, hysterical comes from the Greek word for “womb.” It was once thought that hysteria was a condition that only affected women—and was caused by disturbances in the uterus.
Given the sexism associated with this word, hysterical isn’t exactly a laughing matter.
If knowing the history of hysterical has got you reflecting on your word choices, this slideshow, “These Common Words Have Offensive Histories,” discusses many other words whose place in your vocab you may want to reconsider.
Keep in mind …
Due to the history of hysterical, you may want to consider some less sensitive synonyms, such as frantic, frenzied, impassioned, or vehement.
Informally, hysterical is also often used to refer to something “extremely funny.” Here are some other synonyms you can try:
Looking for more synonyms for funny? We’ve got loads more at Thesaurus.com.
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