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hysterical
[ hi-ster-i-kuhl ]
adjective
- uncontrollably emotional.
- irrational from fear, emotion, or an emotional shock.
- causing unrestrained laughter; very funny:
Oh, that joke is hysterical!
Synonyms: , , ,
- Psychoanalysis, Psychiatry.
hysterical
/ ɪˈɛɪə /
adjective
- of or suggesting hysteria
hysterical cries
- suffering from hysteria
- informal.wildly funny
Derived Forms
- ˈٱ, adverb
Other 51Թ Forms
- ·ٱ··· adverb
- ···ٱ·· adjective
- Dz··ٱ·· adjective
- ···ٱ·· adjective
- ܲ··ٱ·· adjective
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of hysterical1
Example Sentences
Writing on social media, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: "Even Tony Blair now says the push for Net Zero has become 'irrational' and 'hysterical'. We are winning the argument!"
When someone burst into laughter with “She’s hysterical!” at my joke, Mark looked bewildered.
Also, Silicon Valley is, ultimately, a piece of land, and we’d encourage you not to get hysterical and start demanding that even the ground soil agree with your politics.
There is hysterical laughter in the face of death or other great peril when the danger is so extreme that you hear a person laughing and then realize it is you.
But combining Chester Cheetah, the animated spokesperson for Cheetos, with an overeager pitchman for Flamin’ Hot Preparation H produces a gasp-inducing escalation and ending that is as gross as it is hysterical.
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About This 51Թ
More context on hysterical
In everyday usage, hysterical means “uncontrollably emotional.”
But guess who usually gets marked with that label? Women. What’s more, hysterical comes from the Greek word for “womb.” It was once thought that hysteria was a condition that only affected women—and was caused by disturbances in the uterus.
Given the sexism associated with this word, hysterical isn’t exactly a laughing matter.
If knowing the history of hysterical has got you reflecting on your word choices, this slideshow, “These Common 51Թs Have Offensive Histories,” discusses many other words whose place in your vocab you may want to reconsider.
Keep in mind …
Due to the history of hysterical, you may want to consider some less sensitive synonyms, such as frantic, frenzied, impassioned, or vehement.
Informally, hysterical is also often used to refer to something “extremely funny.” Here are some other synonyms you can try:
Looking for more synonyms for funny? We’ve got .
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