laughable

adjective

laugh·​able ˈla-fə-bəl How to pronounce laughable (audio)
ˈlä-
Synonyms of laughablenext
: of a kind to provoke laughter or sometimes derision : amusingly ridiculous
laughableness noun
laughably
ˈla-fə-blē How to pronounce laughable (audio)
ˈlä-
adverb

Synonyms of laughable

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laughable, ludicrous, ridiculous, comic, comical mean provoking laughter or mirth.

laughable applies to anything occasioning laughter.

laughable attempts at skating

ludicrous suggests absurdity that excites both laughter and scorn.

a thriller with a ludicrous plot

ridiculous suggests extreme absurdity, foolishness, or contemptibility.

a ridiculous display of anger

comic applies especially to what arouses thoughtful amusement.

a comic character

comical applies to what arouses spontaneous hilarity.

a comical hat

Examples of laughable in a Sentence

His attempt at skiing was laughable. the laughable, boisterous antics of the circus clowns
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As an organization that is supposed to promote the best in women's sport, it's become laughable. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Transformation scenes can be unintentionally laughable, and no one has fully figured out how to make a wolf-human hybrid look less like a fall-season impulse buy at Home Depot and more like a terrifically terrifying beast. — Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026 His argument would have been laughable, if not for the fact that Black Americans were barred from giving testimony against white people in California’s courts and therefore from contradicting Smith’s account. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 What begins with the promise of something genuinely nightmarish gradually deteriorates into a disappointingly conventional, occasionally laughable supernatural exercise. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for laughable

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laughable was in 1600

Rhymes for laughable

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Browse Nearby Words

laugh
laughable
laughableness
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Cite this Entry

“Laughable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laughable. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

laughable

adjective
laugh·​able ˈlaf-ə-bəl How to pronounce laughable (audio)
ˈlȧf-
: causing laughter or scorn : ridiculous
laughableness noun
laughably
-blē How to pronounce laughable (audio)
adverb
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