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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective comical differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of comical are comic, laughable, ludicrous, and ridiculous. While all these words mean "provoking laughter or mirth," comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity.

a comical hat

When is comic a more appropriate choice than comical?

Although the words comic and comical have much in common, comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement.

a comic character

When would laughable be a good substitute for comical?

The words laughable and comical are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter.

laughable attempts at skating

When is it sensible to use ludicrous instead of comical?

While in some cases nearly identical to comical, ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn.

a thriller with a ludicrous plot

In what contexts can ridiculous take the place of comical?

The synonyms ridiculous and comical are sometimes interchangeable, but ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility.

a ridiculous display of anger

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of comical The actress and singer shared a comical video announcing her bisexuality using audio from the sitcom. EW.com, 17 June 2025 Hackman, Perrine and Beatty add a comical touch to all of their scenes. Martin Gold, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2025 The idea of crutches on cobblestone streets was comical, ridiculous and potentially dangerous. Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025 The film was always going to be a giant undertaking, but an almost comical series of unfortunate events had curtailed it into becoming one of the most expensive pictures Hollywood had ever produced… long before Burton even joined the project. Rance Collins, IndieWire, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for comical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comical
Adjective
  • The frontman's humorous heads-up came after an exec was caught canoodling with a colleague at a recent show.
    EW.com, EW.com, 22 July 2025
  • The show was a touchstone for many in Generation X — a humorous depiction of family life, only the family was middle-class and Black, something that had never been shown on TV before.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • Thomas, Scheffler, DeChambeau, McIlroy and Koepka are seen throughout the movie, participating in Gilmore’s ridiculous training sessions and eventually battling an antagonistic group of golfers from the fictional Maxi professional golf league.
    Stephanie Stremplewski, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 July 2025
  • These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.
    Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 25 July 2025
Adjective
  • The film also gave Lerman a chance to flex comedic muscles rarely seen in his more stoic roles.
    Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
  • Kelce is among the athletes who will appear in the second iteration of the comedic golf film.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 24 July 2025
Adjective
  • The French super powerhouse has taken teams part since winning the UEFA Champions League crown on May 24, outscoring its foes by an absurd 21-1 margin.
    Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
  • From the vantage point of 2025, this appears as absurd as suggesting that women’s soccer matches should be 70 minutes instead of 90, the same as in the men’s game.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • His voice is too funny, too smart and too important to go quietly into the night.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 19 July 2025
  • But a funny thing happened on the way to this flexible-rate nirvana.
    Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Adjective
  • This perky, self-aware, sarcastic and downright silly show caters to both the more traditional Goodspeed audiences.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2025
  • Green Lantern is earnest and bright and, yeah, incredibly silly and a little embarrassing.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • The scene was more amusing than threatening — onlookers whipped out cell phone cameras to document the sight of horses traversing the grounds.
    Jim Newton, Mercury News, 12 July 2025
  • For two-thirds of the day, as the peloton rolled through Brittany, the majority of soundbites ranged from frivolous to downright amusing.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • Phoenix assumes a pathetic and quietly arrogant demeanor as Joe, who speaks in a squeaky, exasperated cadence.
    Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 17 July 2025
  • Flores riding high with Vikings defense Enter Flores, who was hired shortly after that pathetic performance.
    Steve Silverman, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Comical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comical. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on comical

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