humorless

adjective

hu·​mor·​less ˈhyü-mər-ləs How to pronounce humorless (audio)
Synonyms of humorlessnext
1
: lacking a sense of humor
2
: lacking humorous characteristics
humorlessly adverb
humorlessness noun

Examples of humorless in a Sentence

humorless people who can't see the lighter side of life
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fueled by a humorless fear of precisely the human experiences and emotions that connect us, book banning ironically often metamorphosizes into acts of promotion, and just as often ends up exposing vile and corrosive hypocrisy in those lighting the matches. Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025 Funny novels are invariably more serious than humorless ones. Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025 For a man known around the Pentagon as a relentless, humorless taskmaster, McNamara seemed virtually unrecognizable on the party circuit, mingling casually with journalists, fellow government officials, and vivacious Georgetown hostesses. William Taubman, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025 Single-minded and fairly humorless, Chappellet is impelled but seldom impulsive. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for humorless

Word History

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of humorless was in 1671

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Cite this Entry

“Humorless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humorless. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

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