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farcical

farcical

7 8.5
A situation that is very silly and unlikely, like a comic play
  • adjective
  • /ˈfɑr.sɪ.kəl/
translation icon : farsesco
  • The plot of the movie was so farcical that the audience couldn't stop laughing at the absurd twists.
  • almost farcical
  • farcical elements
  • farcical world

So a lot of court work, self defence and restraint was a bit of judo, quite farcical really.

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Examples

  • Let no one mistake it for comedy, farcical though it may be in all its details.

    Academic text (1991)
  • However, the sounds of the D-20 were perfect for the comic effect we wanted in this farcical piece.

    Academic text (1994)
  • This farcical show of force was only to be expected.

  • In case you were wondering how I wound up in this farcical situation, let me catch you up.

  • Democracy becomes farcical when national parliaments and executives cannot make major decisions on their own.

    Academic text (1998)
  • I'm surprised at this farcical streak in your nature, Alec.

  • Periodic elections have become farcical, and the government has stripped the opposition-controlled National Assembly of all powers.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Now Britain and France, together with Israel, hatched a curious plot that in hindsight was almost farcical.

    Academic text (2002)
  • I would involve them in trying to resolve it as well as abandon the utterly farcical attempt to create a unified nation-state there.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The couple's tragic love contrasts with Gongora's farcical rendering of the tale.

    Academic text (1990)

Synonyms

ridiculous
vsfarcical
1.6

Very silly or unreasonable in a way that makes people laugh

is more like staged, improbable events designed to create comic effect
absurd
vsfarcical
288 4.4

So silly or unreasonable that it makes no sense

is more like a staged, exaggerated situation created for comic disbelief
hilarious
vsfarcical
  • Informal
264 1.5

Causing people to laugh loudly

is more a staged, improbable set of events rather than pure joke impact
ludicrous
vsfarcical
100 6.0

Very silly and unreasonable so it makes people laugh

is more like a staged, deliberately exaggerated improbable event for humour
wacky
vsfarcical
  • Informal
98 5.9

Odd in a funny or silly way

is more extreme and improbably staged to create theatrical comic situations
laughable
vsfarcical
60 4.1

So silly or not reasonable that people do not take it seriously

is more deliberately staged and improbably exaggerated to make comic scenes
comical
vsfarcical
39 3.1

Making people laugh because it is silly or unusual

is more about absurd improbability presented like a short theatrical sketch
clownish
vsfarcical
4 4.5

Acting in a silly, exaggerated way like a clown

is less about performer mimicry and more about staged improbable plot comedy
risible
vsfarcical
  • Formal
3 8.0

To make people laugh

is more about exaggerated, improbable scenes rather than simple amusement
killingly absurd
vsfarcical
  • Informal
8.4

Very silly in a way that makes people laugh

is less about raw intensity and more about staged, improbable comic situations
derisible
vsfarcical
9.3

So silly that people laugh at it

is more a theatrical series of impossible events aimed at comic effect

Antonyms

595 2.7

Fair and sensible in thinking and behavior

201 2.7

Showing good judgment and making practical choices

How Absurd

absurd
288 4.4
preposterous
72 7.3
farcical
7 8.5
ridiculous
1.6
silly
976 1.0

Surface Forms

farcical positive

Morphology

farcical = farce (transparent) = farce + farc + ical

The adjective is directly formed from the noun 'farce' with the productive suffix '-ical', meaning 'resembling or characteristic of a farce'.

Etymology

Farcical comes from farce, which originally meant a short, funny 'stuffing' put into a serious play to make people laugh. So when something is farcical, it is so full of silly, ridiculous bits that it feels like a comic insert.