Hysterical
adjective
Uncontrollably emotional.
She became hysterical after hearing the bad news.
Often appears as...
- hysterical laughter
- hysterical crying
adjective
Extremely funny.
His jokes are hysterical.
Often appears as...
- hysterical joke
- hysterical comedy
Usage tips
Colloquial
adjective
Related to or suffering from hysteria, a psychological condition resulting in emotional excess and uncontrollable outbursts.
The patient was diagnosed with hysterical blindness.
Often appears as...
- hysterical symptoms
- hysterical condition
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
adjective
Uncontrollably emotional.
She became hysterical after hearing the bad news.
Often appears as...
- hysterical laughter
- hysterical crying
adjective
Extremely funny.
His jokes are hysterical.
Often appears as...
- hysterical joke
- hysterical comedy
Usage tips
Colloquial
adjective
Related to or suffering from hysteria, a psychological condition resulting in emotional excess and uncontrollable outbursts.
The patient was diagnosed with hysterical blindness.
Often appears as...
- hysterical symptoms
- hysterical condition
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotion Intensity
Used to describe moments of extreme emotions that are hard to control.
During the intense movie scene, Mark was hysterical with fear.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Situations
Often used when there's a strong negative reaction to distressing events.
She was hysterical when she lost her wedding ring.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Insulting
While it describes excessive emotion, it's not typically used as an insult.
He wasn't being rude, just hysterical about his dog's illness.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotion Intensity
Used to describe moments of extreme emotions that are hard to control.
During the intense movie scene, Mark was hysterical with fear.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Situations
Often used when there's a strong negative reaction to distressing events.
She was hysterical when she lost her wedding ring.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Insulting
While it describes excessive emotion, it's not typically used as an insult.
He wasn't being rude, just hysterical about his dog's illness.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotion Intensity
Used to describe moments of extreme emotions that are hard to control.
During the intense movie scene, Mark was hysterical with fear.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Situations
Often used when there's a strong negative reaction to distressing events.
She was hysterical when she lost her wedding ring.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Insulting
While it describes excessive emotion, it's not typically used as an insult.
He wasn't being rude, just hysterical about his dog's illness.
Never forget "Hysterical"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
Nationalism vs....
that there could actually be outbreaks of violence in the US depending on how things turn out. Should we be worried about that, or do you really think things have shifted? No, we should be worried. We should be aware of two things. First of all, don't be hysterical. We are not back in the First World War yet.
Video examples
Life lessons from an ad...
there is no correlation between quality and enjoyment in wine, except when you tell the people how expensive it is, in which case they tend to enjoy the more expensive stuff more. So drink your wine blind in the future. But this is both hysterically funny -- but I think an important philosophical point,
Video examples
Technology worth loving...
can't even compare this to everyone's favorite caffeinated beverage hysterically mine coffee no a nice iced coffee is amazing a hot coffee I'll take one of those too but the real problem here is when your hot coffee has gone cold and you have this really awkward cold cup of coffee in which you know you
Video examples
Why 30 is not the new 20...
She'd just bought a new address book, and she'd spent the morning filling in her many contacts, but then she'd been left staring at that empty blank that comes after the words "In case of emergency, please call ..." She was nearly hysterical when she looked at me and said,
Video examples
Noy Thrupkaew: Human...
But my clearest and sharpest memory of my auntie, is also one of my first memories of life at all. I remember her being beaten and slapped by another member of my family. I remember screaming hysterically and wanting it to stop, as I did every single time it happened,
Video examples
A story about knots and...
that the blood has left my had been filling up my lungs and I was having a very hard time breathing but now it's kind of gone into the stretcher and I said is there anything I can do to help and the the nurse kind of had a hysterical laugh and and I'm turning my
Video examples
I got 99 problems......
I didn't get the part. Sherry Brown got the part. I went racing to the head of the theater department crying hysterically, like someone shot my cat, to ask her why, and she said it was because they didn't think I could do the stunts.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 300 PIPE...
said that it is on three place so you never know it might make it into one of our blooper reels one day me trying to get the words we'll see you after the break out of while I was giggling hysterically and I started to laugh so
Video examples
My Long Walk Across...
When I heard this, I just recalled the same incident that happened to me. I was devastated. I found myself in the same hysterical state I was outside of that theater. For everybody around me, life moved on.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 12 PIPE...
could be the cheats are chattering to one another his turn a strange noise apologies and VM quite hysterically said that the his
Video examples
Nationalism vs....
that there could actually be outbreaks of violence in the US depending on how things turn out. Should we be worried about that, or do you really think things have shifted? No, we should be worried. We should be aware of two things. First of all, don't be hysterical. We are not back in the First World War yet.
Video examples
Life lessons from an ad...
there is no correlation between quality and enjoyment in wine, except when you tell the people how expensive it is, in which case they tend to enjoy the more expensive stuff more. So drink your wine blind in the future. But this is both hysterically funny -- but I think an important philosophical point,
Video examples
Technology worth loving...
can't even compare this to everyone's favorite caffeinated beverage hysterically mine coffee no a nice iced coffee is amazing a hot coffee I'll take one of those too but the real problem here is when your hot coffee has gone cold and you have this really awkward cold cup of coffee in which you know you
Video examples
Why 30 is not the new 20...
She'd just bought a new address book, and she'd spent the morning filling in her many contacts, but then she'd been left staring at that empty blank that comes after the words "In case of emergency, please call ..." She was nearly hysterical when she looked at me and said,
Video examples
Noy Thrupkaew: Human...
But my clearest and sharpest memory of my auntie, is also one of my first memories of life at all. I remember her being beaten and slapped by another member of my family. I remember screaming hysterically and wanting it to stop, as I did every single time it happened,
Video examples
A story about knots and...
that the blood has left my had been filling up my lungs and I was having a very hard time breathing but now it's kind of gone into the stretcher and I said is there anything I can do to help and the the nurse kind of had a hysterical laugh and and I'm turning my
Video examples
I got 99 problems......
I didn't get the part. Sherry Brown got the part. I went racing to the head of the theater department crying hysterically, like someone shot my cat, to ask her why, and she said it was because they didn't think I could do the stunts.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 300 PIPE...
said that it is on three place so you never know it might make it into one of our blooper reels one day me trying to get the words we'll see you after the break out of while I was giggling hysterically and I started to laugh so
Video examples
My Long Walk Across...
When I heard this, I just recalled the same incident that happened to me. I was devastated. I found myself in the same hysterical state I was outside of that theater. For everybody around me, life moved on.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 12 PIPE...
could be the cheats are chattering to one another his turn a strange noise apologies and VM quite hysterically said that the his
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Carrie Coon
American Actress
There's this thing in TV that I find hysterical where the writers and creators will ask us if you want to know what happens to your character or if you want to experience it episode by episode. In the theatre, we always know the ending; we always know where the character is going.
Quote examples
Rachel Cusk
Canadian Novelist
There are certain types of slightly hysterical human characters who, rather than creating, walk around with a sense of their own potential - it's as if they themselves were art objects. They feel as if their lives are written narratives, or pieces of music.
Quote examples
Constance Wu
American Actress
If the writing is good, then the writing is already funny. All you have to do is make this funny writing true to the very deepest of your heart, and the fact that you are capable of making this true will be hysterical.
Quote examples
Jasmine Guinness
Irish Designer
I've known my best friend since I was a baby, and I don't know what I would do without her. She is always straight with me and can make me laugh hysterically. Everyone should have someone like that in their life.
Quote examples
Briga Heelan
American Actress
We have home videos that are really great tape on my parents being hysterical. So I think I always knew that my parents were funny, so I think that I always felt comfortable using comedy in my real life.
Quote examples
Laura Dern
American Actress
Something that I've cared about deeply my whole career is getting to work with filmmakers and inventors of stories that are hysterical because they are just so painfully true.
Quote examples
Elizabeth Kostova
American Author
Sometimes people damage paintings or sculpture because they love it. They throw their arms around a statue in a fit of hysterical passion and it falls over.
Quote examples
Tamsin Greig
English Actress
Laughing and crying are very similar. They're an extreme response to life. You see it in children who start laughing hysterically.
Quote examples
Roger Moore
English Actor
You can't be a real spy and have everybody in the world know who you are and what your drink is. That's just hysterically funny.
Quote examples
Diana Rigg
British Actress
I would head to the countryside for peace and silence. That would be the best way, away from panicked, hysterical people.
Quote examples
Carrie Coon
American Actress
There's this thing in TV that I find hysterical where the writers and creators will ask us if you want to know what happens to your character or if you want to experience it episode by episode. In the theatre, we always know the ending; we always know where the character is going.
Quote examples
Rachel Cusk
Canadian Novelist
There are certain types of slightly hysterical human characters who, rather than creating, walk around with a sense of their own potential - it's as if they themselves were art objects. They feel as if their lives are written narratives, or pieces of music.
Quote examples
Constance Wu
American Actress
If the writing is good, then the writing is already funny. All you have to do is make this funny writing true to the very deepest of your heart, and the fact that you are capable of making this true will be hysterical.
Quote examples
Jasmine Guinness
Irish Designer
I've known my best friend since I was a baby, and I don't know what I would do without her. She is always straight with me and can make me laugh hysterically. Everyone should have someone like that in their life.
Quote examples
Briga Heelan
American Actress
We have home videos that are really great tape on my parents being hysterical. So I think I always knew that my parents were funny, so I think that I always felt comfortable using comedy in my real life.
Quote examples
Laura Dern
American Actress
Something that I've cared about deeply my whole career is getting to work with filmmakers and inventors of stories that are hysterical because they are just so painfully true.
Quote examples
Elizabeth Kostova
American Author
Sometimes people damage paintings or sculpture because they love it. They throw their arms around a statue in a fit of hysterical passion and it falls over.
Quote examples
Tamsin Greig
English Actress
Laughing and crying are very similar. They're an extreme response to life. You see it in children who start laughing hysterically.
Quote examples
Roger Moore
English Actor
You can't be a real spy and have everybody in the world know who you are and what your drink is. That's just hysterically funny.
Quote examples
Diana Rigg
British Actress
I would head to the countryside for peace and silence. That would be the best way, away from panicked, hysterical people.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension