an hilarious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an hilarious" is not correct in standard English; it should be "a hilarious." You can use "a hilarious" when describing something that is very funny or amusing.
Example: "The comedian's performance was a hilarious experience that had the entire audience laughing."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

At the school, an hilarious cultural clash unfolds.

The Guardian - Travel

Actually, it was called We Don't Wanna Put In – an hilarious play on the name of the Russian president).

The Guardian - Music

The source said that Berry's inclusion had originally been intended as an "hilarious" ageist joke, but the votes quickly started pouring in for the veteran TV star.

Independent

He also made documentaries for Radio 2 including an hilarious one on board Gilbert Bécaud's yacht where the singer plied him with champagne during the interview.

Independent

If I feel like punishing myself, I read an hilarious blog called Amanda's School Lunch written by a former food editor.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

(The last of these tracks I initially thought was an hilarious parody of an electro-grime song until I was reliably informed otherwise).

The Guardian - Music

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

Still a freak, a blip, a hilarious blue-shirted glitch.

The Guardian - Sport

You can play an instrument, plan a hilarious skit with your friends, etc.

WikiHow

It can even be contagious like a yawn or a hilarious virus.

The New Yorker

Go and rent a good comedy, or visit a theater show featuring a hilarious act.

WikiHow

A throwaway line becomes a hilarious joke.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the article "a" before words that begin with a consonant sound and "an" before words that begin with a vowel sound. "Hilarious" begins with a consonant sound (even though the letter 'h' is silent in some dialects) so, use "a hilarious".

Common error

Don't let dialectical pronunciation influence your written English. While the 'h' in "hilarious" may be silent in some dialects, standard English pronunciation dictates that it is pronounced, requiring the article "a" instead of "an".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an hilarious" functions as an adjective phrase aiming to describe something as very funny or amusing. However, it's grammatically incorrect, violating standard English article usage. Despite the error, it is frequently found in various sources, as shown by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Wiki

22%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an hilarious" is a common but grammatically incorrect construction. Ludwig AI confirms that standard English dictates using "a" before words that begin with a consonant sound, making "a hilarious" the correct form. Despite its prevalence in various sources like news articles and wikis, particularly in the category of News & Media (63%), sticking to correct grammar is always advisable. Alternatives such as "a very funny" or "a comical" can be used to express similar meanings, while adhering to standard grammar rules.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a hilarious

Corrects the grammatical error by using the correct article "a" instead of "an" before the consonant sound.

a very funny

Replaces "hilarious" with a more common synonym, while maintaining the same meaning.

a comical

Substitutes "hilarious" with another synonym suggesting amusement and laughter.

a humorous

Offers a formal alternative to "hilarious", still describing something that causes laughter.

a side-splitting

Emphasizes the extreme amusement caused by something.

a riotous

Indicates boisterous and unrestrained amusement.

a droll

Suggests a dry, amusing quality.

an amusing

While still using the article "an," it modifies the adjective to one that correctly takes "an."

a laugh riot

Expresses that something is extremely funny.

a farcical

Denotes something absurdly funny and ridiculous.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "an hilarious"?

The correct phrasing is "a hilarious". The article "a" should be used before words that start with a consonant sound, even if the first letter is a vowel or a silent consonant.

Is "an hilarious" ever correct?

No, "an hilarious" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct form is "a hilarious".

What can I say instead of "an hilarious"?

Use "a hilarious". Alternatively, you could use phrases like "a very funny" or "a comical".

Why is "an hilarious" considered wrong?

The rule is to use "a" before words starting with a consonant sound and "an" before vowel sounds. "Hilarious" starts with a consonant sound (the 'h' is pronounced), so "a" is the correct article, leading to "a hilarious".