without their humour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "without their humour" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the absence of humor in a particular context, such as a piece of writing, a performance, or a person's demeanor. Example: "The film was entertaining, but without their humour, it felt flat and unengaging."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Radical environmentalists are not without their humour.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Without the humour, it would just be heavy and boring.

The Guardian - Music

Steve Busfield has called The Corner "The Wire without the humour", but to imagine The Wire without the humour would be to imagine it without its soul.

The Guardian

The world Morrall portrays, though, is not without its humour and warmth.

Independent

Wareing, undoubtedly a brilliant chef, has however always struck me as a man without that humour.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Without that sense of wildness, without the humour and the nihilistic vitality, the danger is that Scotland just ends up looking like the Soviet Union with nice scenery.

The Guardian - Books

I found myself thinking how much it resembled the humorous and consciously absurd vision of Michel Gondry, only quite without the humour and the conscious absurdity.

The Guardian - Film

Largely, Caro is an artist without much humour, but there is something vicious and funny, disarming and disabling about his best work.

The Guardian - Arts

It's a thriller in which the twists become so absurd that it becomes a kind of caper, but without the humour.

The Guardian - Film

In any case, I found it to be a fast read, filled with twists and turns, and populated with sharply-drawn, deeply melodramatic characters; basically Tom Jones without the humour.

The Guardian - Books

At the root of the BBC's worries, said one senior television executive, was the feeling that the new team would produce a car show – reviewing cars – without the humour of Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May that helped make it the BBC's most lucrative programme, with rights sold around the world.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "without their humour", ensure the context clearly identifies who "their" refers to. This prevents ambiguity and enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "without their humour" in contexts where it's unclear whose humour is being referenced. Always provide sufficient context to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "without their humour" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or adjective to indicate the absence of humour from a specific source. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "without their humour" is a grammatically sound way to indicate the absence of a specific group's comedic input in a particular context. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's usable in written English. While not exceedingly common, its appearances in reputable news sources like The Guardian suggest a reliable, if infrequent, usage. When employing this phrase, ensure that the referent of "their" is clear to avoid ambiguity. Alternative phrases, such as "lacking their humor" or "devoid of their humor", can provide similar meaning with slight variations in emphasis or formality. Be mindful of regional spelling preferences when choosing between "humour" and "humor".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lacking their humor

Replaces "without" with "lacking", emphasizing the absence of humour.

devoid of their humor

Uses "devoid" to highlight a complete absence of humour, adding a stronger emphasis.

absent of their humor

Similar to "lacking", but slightly more formal.

bereft of their humor

A more literary and emphatic way to express the lack of humor.

without their wit

Substitutes "humour" with "wit", focusing on clever and intellectual humor.

without their levity

Replaces "humour" with "levity", referring to a lack of seriousness or lightheartedness.

absent of their comedic touch

More descriptive, specifying the "comedic touch" that is missing.

without their funny side

A more informal and direct way of saying "without their humour".

without their sense of humor

A more explicit and common way to refer to the lack of a humorous outlook.

without their lightheartedness

Focuses on the absence of a cheerful and carefree attitude.

FAQs

How can I use "without their humour" in a sentence?

You can use "without their humour" to describe something that lacks the comedic input or perspective of a specific group. For example: "The play, while dramatic, was ultimately flat "without their humour"".

What's a formal alternative to "without their humour"?

A more formal alternative would be "lacking their levity" or "devoid of their comedic input". These options add a layer of sophistication to your writing.

Is it correct to say "without their humor" instead of "without their humour"?

Both spellings are correct, with "humor" being the American English spelling and "humour" being the British English spelling. The choice depends on your target audience and regional writing style.

What's the difference between "without their humour" and "lacking humour"?

"Without their humour" specifies that the humour of a particular group or entity is absent, while "lacking humour" is a more general statement about the absence of humour in something. The former is more specific in attribution.