hilarious

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "hilarious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is very funny and elicits a great deal of laughter. Example sentence: The stand-up comedian told some hilarious jokes that had everyone in the audience laughing uncontrollably.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Film

Books

Lifestyle

TV & Radio

Arts

Music

Opinion

Tech

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The men in the car found the whole thing hilarious, but Greater Manchester police didn't.

The Guardian

It really is an eye-goggling, mind-boggling dramedy-farce, hilarious and uproarious and ridiculous with superb effects.

The Guardian - Film

I think that a child does not feel the sublime because a child need not, perhaps cannot, confront the limitations of his or her language – language, for a child, is already miraculous, supple, generous in its association, tragic, hilarious, disproportionate and huge.

The Guardian - Books

One features thousands of pasteable images, mainly of European leaders in humiliating photoshopped incidents or with captions pointing out their weakness and stupidity, or showing Putin making hilarious wisecracks and winning the day.

The Guardian

We might have been sharing a hilarious moment, yet instantly the smiles and laughter disappeared and we stood united in our solemnity out of respect for her loss.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

After all, I was trying to read a newspaper, or compose a hilarious tweet about EastEnders, or dumbly gaze out of the window like a cow obliviously trundling towards an abattoir.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This is Mark Zuckerberg's office on day one, after a hilarious office prank involving balls and giant fish.

The Guardian - Arts

But for a contrary view, here's my comrade Tim Jonze's hilarious piece on why he hates Get Lucky.

The Guardian

This was an exciting, gripping tale full of slapstick comedy with hilarious illustrations moving the story along.

The Guardian

One of my first teachers of drama was a great big, huge man called Jean-Pierre Williams, who was hilarious and showed me how to be funny.

The Guardian - Film

What they said... what he did 'One of the year's finest pictures... by turns hilarious, painful and brutally frank.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hilarious" to describe situations, events, or performances that evoke strong laughter and amusement. It's most effective when the humor is obvious and widely appreciated.

Common error

Avoid using "hilarious" for situations that are only mildly amusing or slightly funny. This weakens the impact of the word and can make your writing sound hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "hilarious" is as a descriptive adjective. It modifies nouns to indicate that they are extremely funny or amusing. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it serves to intensify the quality of amusement associated with something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Film

15%

Books

8%

Less common in

Lifestyle

7%

Arts

5%

Music

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hilarious" functions as an adjective to describe something exceptionally funny, often evoking strong laughter. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread usability in written English. It is very commonly used across various contexts, especially in News & Media, Film and Books. When aiming to express strong amusement, consider using "hilarious", but avoid overusing it for mildly funny situations. Alternatives like "very funny", "extremely amusing", or "uproariously funny" can provide nuanced variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

very funny

Focuses on the quality of being funny, similar to "hilarious" but less intense.

extremely amusing

Highlights the quality of causing amusement, comparable to "hilarious" in intensity.

uproariously funny

Emphasizes the loudness and exuberance of the laughter caused, similar to "hilarious".

side-splitting

Conveys that something is so funny it causes physical discomfort from laughing, similar to "hilarious".

laugh-out-loud funny

Describes something that makes one laugh audibly and heartily, like "hilarious".

riotously funny

Indicates that something is wildly funny, sharing a similar level of intensity as "hilarious".

comical

Describes something that is funny or intended to cause laughter; a milder and more general term than "hilarious".

screamingly funny

Highlights the extreme level of amusement, similar to the intensity of "hilarious".

killingly funny

Indicates that something is so funny it’s overwhelming, sharing a similar level of extreme amusement as "hilarious".

deeply amusing

Emphasizes the profound or significant level of amusement, similar to "hilarious" but with focus on depth.

FAQs

How can I use "hilarious" in a sentence?

You can use "hilarious" to describe something that is very funny and causes a lot of laughter. For example, "The comedian's jokes were truly hilarious, and the audience couldn't stop laughing."

What are some alternatives to "hilarious"?

You can use alternatives like "very funny", "extremely amusing", or "uproariously funny" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say something is "hilarious" even if not everyone finds it funny?

Yes, humor is subjective. While "hilarious" implies strong amusement, it's acceptable if some individuals don't share the same reaction. However, consider your audience and the potential for misinterpretation.

What's the difference between "hilarious" and "funny"?

"Funny" is a general term for causing amusement, while "hilarious" implies a higher degree of funniness and often evokes strong laughter. "Hilarious" is more intense and expressive than simply "funny".