comedy
Laughs as entertainment
Comedy is entertainment designed to amuse—plays, films, or performances meant to provoke laughter.
The term contrasts with tragedy and drama: I'm in the mood for a comedy tonight.
A comedy of errors involves absurd mishaps.
Beyond entertainment, comedy describes any ludicrous situation: The meeting devolved into comedy.
Stand-up comedy features a solo performer delivering jokes to a live audience.
Absurd, laughable situation
- revueMusical variety entertainment
- vaudevilleTheatrical variety entertainment
- burlesqueExaggerated mockery or risqué variety
- pantomimeDrama through gesture alone
sketch · improv · cabaret · operetta · absurdist · drawing-room · Molière · skit
Satirical imitation
- spoofComic exaggerated imitation
- mockumentarySatirical fake nonfiction film
- lampoonHarsh public mockery
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
send-up · irony · wit · political · SNL · Colbert · absurdist · deadpan
Amusing quality
- hilarityExtreme amusement, often shared
- witClever, inventive humor
- guffawBoisterous burst of mirth
- chuckleLow, suppressed laugh
giggle · snicker · roar · cackle · chortle · merriment · amusement · joviality
Uninterrupted solo address
- punchlineHumor's final delivery
- routineRegular sequence of actions
- setArrange in position
- hecklerOne who taunts performers
mic · club · one-liners · observational · anecdote · timing · delivery · roast
Comedic fall on buttocks
- gagsJokes or silencing devices
- pie-in-the-faceComedic pastry impact
- physicalOf body or matter
- buffooneryLudicrous or silly conduct
clowning · shtick · knockabout · antics · mugging · double-take · exaggeration · timing
Humorous love story genre
- screwballDeceptive breaking pitch
- spoofComic exaggerated imitation
- blockbusterEnormously successful entertainment property
- gross-outDeliberately disgust someone
Bridesmaids · fish-out-of-water · meet-cute · pratfall · blooper
Added comedic audience response
- ensembleUnified group or outfit
- catchphraseSignature line of words
- recurringHappening repeatedly over time
- syndicationMulti-outlet content distribution
farce
Absurd, laughable situation
- revueMusical variety entertainment
- vaudevilleTheatrical variety entertainment
- burlesqueExaggerated mockery or risqué variety
pantomime · sketch · improv · cabaret · operetta · absurdist · drawing-room · Molière · skit · troupe
parody
Satirical imitation
- spoofComic exaggerated imitation
- mockumentarySatirical fake nonfiction film
- lampoonHarsh public mockery
caricature · send-up · irony · wit · political · SNL · Colbert · absurdist · deadpan · biting
humor
Amusing quality
chuckle · giggle · snicker · roar · cackle · chortle · merriment · amusement · joviality · lightheartedness
monologue
Uninterrupted solo address
heckler · mic · club · one-liners · observational · anecdote · timing · delivery · roast · improv
pratfall
Comedic fall on buttocks
- gagsJokes or silencing devices
- pie-in-the-faceComedic pastry impact
- physicalOf body or matter
buffoonery · clowning · shtick · knockabout · antics · mugging · double-take · exaggeration · timing · mime
romcom
Humorous love story genre
- screwballDeceptive breaking pitch
- spoofComic exaggerated imitation
- blockbusterEnormously successful entertainment property
Bridesmaids · gross-out · fish-out-of-water · meet-cute · pratfall · blooper
laugh-track
Added comedic audience response
- ensembleUnified group or outfit
- catchphraseSignature line of words
- recurringHappening repeatedly over time
syndication · Seinfeld · Friends · Frasier · Community
- comedyjokes, humor, puns, sarcasm, stand-up
- entertainmentmovie, movies, films, band, television
- entertainment industrytheater, film, television, music, dance
- genresaction, detective fiction, fantasy, horror, documentary
- humorjoke, jokes, joking, funny, hilarious
- literaturebooks, book, fiction, poetry, stories
comedytragedy
Disastrous or sorrowful event
drama · melodrama · tragicomedy · tearjerker · thriller
comedytragedy
Disastrous or sorrowful event
seriousness · gravity · solemnity · pathos · melancholy
- improv comedyUnscripted comedic theater
- romantic comedyHumorous love story genre
- stand-up comedyLive solo comedic performance
- dark comedyComedy treating grim topics lightly
- stand-up comedianSolo performer delivering jokes
- situational comedyHumorous series, consistent setting
comedian, comedic, comedies, comedians, comedienne, comedy-drama, comedically, comediennes, comedy of manners