that was funny

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that was funny" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express amusement or to acknowledge that something made you laugh in a conversation or narrative. Example: "After hearing the joke, I couldn't help but say, 'That was funny!'"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

"Oh, that was funny," Berra said.

The New York Times - Sports

It was so lucky, that was funny".

The New York Times - Sports

Oh my gosh, that was funny.

The Guardian - Music

And he did it in a way that was funny and truly useful.

The New Yorker

We wanted to make a comedy, we wanted to make something that was funny and also something that was scary.

BBC

"Yeah, that was funny".

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

Yeah, that's funny".

Independent

Boy, that's funny.

The Washington Post

"Man, that's funny," he said.

The New York Times

Hmm, that's funny.

TechCrunch

God, that's funny.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that was funny" to acknowledge humor in a lighthearted or slightly sarcastic way. Consider your audience and context to determine if a more specific or expressive term would be more appropriate.

Common error

While "that was funny" is acceptable in casual conversation, avoid overusing it in formal writing. Instead, opt for more descriptive language to convey your reaction to humor, such as "the remark elicited laughter" or "the situation proved to be amusing."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that was funny" functions as an interjection or a declarative statement, expressing the speaker's reaction to something perceived as humorous. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It serves to acknowledge humor or express amusement, as seen in the examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

18%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "that was funny" is a grammatically sound and common expression used to acknowledge and react to something humorous. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and correctness. Analysis of various sources reveals its frequent use in news, media and informal contexts. While versatile, its usage in formal or academic writing should be approached with consideration for a more precise description of amusement. It is worth noting, based on Ludwig's analysis, that several alternative phrases exist to better articulate nuance or intensity of the reaction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that was amusing

Changes the specific adjective to describe the degree of funniness, suggesting a milder level of amusement.

that was hilarious

Replaces 'funny' with 'hilarious', indicating a stronger level of amusement or laughter.

that was a joke

Indicates that the statement was made with the intention of being humorous.

that was comical

Substitutes 'funny' with 'comical', referring to something causing laughter or amusement in a lighthearted way.

that was rich

Implies irony or sarcasm in addition to amusement, often used when something is unintentionally funny.

that was priceless

Indicates that the event or statement was exceptionally funny or memorable.

that cracked me up

Emphasizes the personal reaction of laughter, suggesting that the speaker found it very funny.

that was a riot

Suggests that something was extremely funny and entertaining, like a lively and chaotic event.

that was a stitch

A more old-fashioned expression indicating that something was very funny.

that slayed me

A modern slang term to say that something made you laugh a lot.

FAQs

How can I use "that was funny" in a sentence?

The phrase "that was funny" is typically used as a reaction to something someone said or did. For example, "He told a joke, and I thought, 'That was funny'."

What can I say instead of "that was funny"?

You can use alternatives like "that was hilarious", "that was amusing", or "that was comical" depending on the level and type of humor.

Is it grammatically correct to say "that was funny"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "That" is a demonstrative pronoun, "was" is the past tense of the verb "to be", and "funny" is an adjective describing "that".

What's the difference between "that's funny" and "that was funny"?

"That's funny" refers to something currently being said or done, while "that was funny" refers to something that happened in the past.