gallows humor
noun
: humor that makes fun of a life-threatening, disastrous, or terrifying situation
Examples of gallows humor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And after another Grand Slam final loss in Melbourne Saturday night, the pain of the experience was clear in the gallows humor of the trophy ceremony.
—
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Jokes about the rising cost of living and the state of the economy are rife, with many internet users embracing gallows humor.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
Bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile aimed wrathful lyrics and gallows humor at a culture of misogyny that plagued their daily lives, from condescending male musicians to abusive fathers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
Hosting the Golden Globe Awards for the second year in a row, Glaser opened the 83rd ceremony with a speech that blended industry gallows humor, political commentary, and her celebrity roast bonafides for an especially strong start to the celebration.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Jan. 2026
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Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Jokes about the rising cost of living and the state of the economy are rife, with many internet users embracing gallows humor.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
Bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile aimed wrathful lyrics and gallows humor at a culture of misogyny that plagued their daily lives, from condescending male musicians to abusive fathers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
Hosting the Golden Globe Awards for the second year in a row, Glaser opened the 83rd ceremony with a speech that blended industry gallows humor, political commentary, and her celebrity roast bonafides for an especially strong start to the celebration.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gallows humor
Cite this Entry
“Gallows humor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gallows%20humor. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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