humor
gb/hjˈumɚ/ us/hjˈumɚ/
B1
English
~ 4000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
property
1
The ability to be funny
The ability to make people smile or laugh.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s humor
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'humor' with 'rumor' because they sound similar but have very different meanings.
Synonyms
wit (Often suggests cleverness and quick thinking in humor.)
Antonyms
seriousness (Lack of amusement or fun; focus on important matters without jokes.)
Collocations
sense of humor
|good humor
|dry humor
|dark humor
|witty humor
Themes
emotions
|communication
|art
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- Her sense of humor makes her very popular.
- The comedian's humor was sharp and insightful.
- I appreciate subtle humor more than slapstick.
- His humor lightened the mood during the meeting.
- The book is full of gentle humor.
Learner examples
- He has a good sense of humor.
- Her humor makes me laugh.
- I like his dry humor.
- This movie has a lot of humor.
- Humor is important in life.
Noun
B2
state
2
A person's mood or temper
The way someone feels at a certain time.
Usage pattern:
in [good/bad] humor
Common mistake:
Learners may think this use is about 'funny' but it actually means 'mood.' Context is important.
Synonyms
temper (Refers to someone's mood, often in relation to anger or calmness.)
Antonyms
calmness (A peaceful or relaxed state of mind, opposite to an irritable mood.)
Collocations
good humor
|bad humor
|in no humor
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was in no humor to talk.
- He greeted us in good humor despite the delay.
- Her bad humor spoiled the evening.
- I'm not in the humor for jokes right now.
- We left him alone until his humor improved.
Learner examples
- She is in good humor today.
- He is in bad humor this morning.
- I am not in the humor for games.
- She met us in good humor.
- He left in bad humor.
Verb
C1
action
3
To go along with someone's wishes
To do what someone wants so they stay happy.
Usage pattern:
to humor [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'find funny' because of the noun meaning; as a verb it means 'go along with.'
Synonyms
indulge (Suggests allowing someone to have what they want, sometimes excessively.)
Antonyms
oppose (To refuse someone's wishes or requests.)
Collocations
humor someone
Themes
relationships
|daily life
|communication
Examples
- I humored him by listening to his long story.
- They humored their grandmother's old-fashioned ideas.
- She humored the child by playing along with the game.
- We humored our boss's suggestion even though we disagreed.
- He humored her to avoid an argument.
Learner examples
- I humored my friend and went to the show.
- She humored her brother and played the game.
- He humored his mother and ate more food.
- They humored the teacher and stayed quiet.
- I humored my dad and helped him with the car.
Grammar
Dictionary form
humor
IPA
GB/hjˈumɚ/
US/hjˈumɚ/
Syllables & stress
hu - mor (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (hu)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: humor
- Plural: humor, humors
Verb
- Base: humor
- 3rd Person Singular: humors
- Present Participle: humoring
- Past: humored
Word family
Forms
humors
noun
humoring
verb
humored
verb
Core family
humorous
adjective B2
humorously
adverb
Related words
humorist
noun
Negative and opposite forms
humorless
adjective
Expressions
dark humor
1/dˈɑɹk hjˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
Comedy about serious topics
Jokes about serious or sad things, like death or illness.
Examples
- The movie uses dark humor to talk about war.
- His dark humor can upset some people.
dry humor
1/dɹˈaɪ hjˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
Subtle, expressionless comedy style
Jokes told in a serious way without showing feeling.
Examples
- Her dry humor makes it hard to know if she’s joking.
- I love his dry humor—it’s so clever.
gallows humor
1/ɡˈæloʊz hjˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
Joking about hopeless situations
Making jokes about very bad or dangerous situations.
Examples
- Rescue workers often rely on gallows humor to cope with stress.
- The soldiers shared gallows humor before the battle.
in good humor
1/ˈɪn ɡˈʊd hjˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
In a happy, pleasant mood
Feeling happy and pleasant.
Examples
- He arrived in good humor despite the long trip.
- Everyone was in good humor after the win.
sense of humor
1/sˈɛns əv hjˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
Ability to find things funny
The ability to enjoy or tell jokes and funny things.
Examples
- She has a great sense of humor and always makes me laugh.
- A good sense of humor helps in difficult situations.