variants
also hysteric
1
as in funny
causing or intended to cause laughter
some of the things little kids come out with are hysterical
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worried
feeling overwhelming fear or worry
the police officer assured the mother that there was no need to get hysterical, for most missing children are found safe and sound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in frightened
filled with fear or dread
upon hearing the announcement that a shark had been sighted, hysterical beachgoers raced out of the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hysterical
The hysterical footage garnered 14,600 likes and 329,000 views.
—
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
Babes Year: 2024 Runtime: 1h 44m Director: Pamela Adlon
Ilana Glazer of Broad City is hysterical in this pregnancy comedy about a single woman who gets knocked up on a one-night stand, only for her baby daddy to drop dead.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2025
Then inside the meeting, parents and opposing activists gave impassioned speeches on their thoughts on the situation, with multiple speakers yelling in hysterical tones.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 4 Jan. 2025
With hysterical plotlines involving things like intercourse with baked goods or hair gels made from bodily fluids?
—Benjamin Svetkey and Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hysterical 
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
Babes Year: 2024 Runtime: 1h 44m Director: Pamela Adlon
Ilana Glazer of Broad City is hysterical in this pregnancy comedy about a single woman who gets knocked up on a one-night stand, only for her baby daddy to drop dead.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2025
Then inside the meeting, parents and opposing activists gave impassioned speeches on their thoughts on the situation, with multiple speakers yelling in hysterical tones.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 4 Jan. 2025
With hysterical plotlines involving things like intercourse with baked goods or hair gels made from bodily fluids?
—Benjamin Svetkey and Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hysterical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hysterical
Adjective
-
The sweet, funny, profound ceremony in Oakland on Saturday could have doubled as a celebration of life for A’s baseball here, as the team migrates to Sacramento this season with its sights set on Las Vegas.—
Daniel Brown,
The Athletic,
2 Feb. 2025
-
April is funny and self-deprecating, seemingly comfortable in her skin despite the constant questioning of her gender.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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How worried should the team be about his availability for the playoffs?—
AAron Ontiveroz,
The Denver Post,
6 Feb. 2025
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But in the early days of the second Donald Trump presidency, LGBTQ+ communities across the U.S. are more worried about their digital privacy than ever before.—
Samantha Riedel,
Them,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Those who have birthright citizenship, those brought here as children and those who have legally applied for asylum are frightened.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2025
-
Still, federal aviation officials assured frightened flyers that American airspace is among the safest places in the world to be on a plane.—
Jaime Moore-Carrillo,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Saquon Barkley put up more ridiculous numbers in the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFC Championship victory over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, leading to jabs at the New York Giants.—
Ryan Gaydos,
Fox News,
27 Jan. 2025
-
Because 7½ minutes of real time to play 20 seconds of basketball is beyond ridiculous.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
One day, the story goes, the villagers discovered Nian was scared of loud noises, fire and the color red.—
Stephanie Lam,
The Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2025
-
Everyone in the audience laughed when the capybara first appeared onscreen, even the little kid behind us who had cried earlier, scared of some of the calamities befalling the feline hero.—
Gary Shteyngart,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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While the situation might seem humorous, the Reddit user shared an important takeaway: people should be cautious when dealing with wrong numbers.—
Barbara A. Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
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Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates and Johnson regularly text humorous or supportive messages.—
Gregory Royal Pratt,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Kyoko returned to her father, but Cox became increasingly distraught that the rich and powerful pair would use their vast resources and influence to take his daughter away.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
1 Feb. 2025
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Veterinary clinics and animal shelters were overwhelmed as distraught owners brought their beloved companions to be put down.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Rogan found this amusing given Harris’s prior public support for cannabis reform but speculated her prosecutorial record on marijuana offenses might have influenced this decision.—
Tribune Content Agency,
The Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2025
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And, gosh, what is the deal with the rest of their graduating class (including a desperately funny Kelly McCormack, whose animus toward Agnes is both understandable and very amusing)?—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hysterical
Cite this Entry
“Hysterical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hysterical. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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