comic relief
8
3.6
- noun
- /ˈkɑːmɪk rɪˈliːf/
- Literature
:
alivio cómico
- The film expertly balances suspense with moments of comic relief to keep the audience engaged.
- provide comic relief
Examples
-
Soon after, Roy Rogers began shooting his television series and recruited Brady as his comic relief sidekick.
Blog text (6) -
I had to be my own comic relief this election, and I'm still giggling this morning.
Blog text (4) -
I just needed some comic relief after the last couple of days.
-
Chris Hayes and his crew are always good for some comic relief.
Blog text (10) -
He was like the comic relief on the show.
-
Well, in addition to being the comic relief in the movie, you'd also be in charge of all the food on set.
-
As for the Eggs-ter-minate, it was the comic relief in a very dark, tense episode.
Blog text (20) -
The suspense, with some comic relief tossed in for good measure, is great, though somehow the outcome is never in question.
Academic text (1997) -
Additionally, Jimi Kinstle, as a very convincing town drunk, provides some welcome comic relief during the intense town meeting.
Blog text (32) -
He'd hypnotized himself and conjured up a great bear to provide some comic relief from the day-to-day boredom.
Fiction book (2000)
Synonyms
16
7.4
Light, joking talk or behavior when people expect seriousness
1
8.6
A short funny remark or action that makes people smile
Antonyms
How Humorous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'comic' = humorous and 'relief' = easing or release from tension, so together they denote humorous material that lightens tension. This compositional pattern is common in English and has clear parallels in other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will very likely understand the MWE.
Etymology
Comic relief comes from plays and stories where a short funny scene or character, a comic moment, gives the audience relief after a tense part. So, it means 'humorous content that lightens the mood' in a serious story.