Word
unfunny
Phoneticsun·fun·ny
UK/ʌnfˈʌni/
Definition
adj. not making you laugh or smile. You use it for jokes, shows, or people that try to be funny but fail.
adj. lacking humour; failing to amuse or provoke laughter. Often describes jokes, performances, or attempts at humour that fall flat.
Examples
“That joke is unfunny and nobody laughs.”
“He keeps repeating the same unfunny joke at work and his colleagues just smile politely.”
“What makes the sitcom disappointing is not its low budget but its relentlessly unfunny dialogue, which mistakes loud delivery for genuine wit.”
Examples
simple
“That joke is unfunny and nobody laughs.”
contextual
“He keeps repeating the same unfunny joke at work and his colleagues just smile politely.”
complex
“What makes the sitcom disappointing is not its low budget but its relentlessly unfunny dialogue, which mistakes loud delivery for genuine wit.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “unfunny” in context.
Verb
01. become unfunny
“The running joke quickly became unfunny.”
verb + adj
02. call unfunny
“My friends called the video unfunny and turned it off.”
verb + adj
03. consider unfunny
“Critics considered his new stand-up routine unfunny.”
verb + adj
04. find unfunny
“Many viewers found the comedy show unfunny and boring.”
verb + adj
05. seem unfunny
“The sketch seemed unfunny after we had seen it twice.”
verb + adj
Adjective
06. completely unfunny
“I thought his stories were completely unfunny.”
adv + adj
07. painfully unfunny
“The school play was painfully unfunny and the audience stayed silent.”
adv + adj
08. rather unfunny
“The first half of the film was rather unfunny.”
adv + adj
09. really unfunny
“That cartoon is really unfunny, so I never watch it.”
adv + adj
10. a painfully unfunny joke
“He told a painfully unfunny joke at dinner.”
11. an unfunny comedy show
“We watched an unfunny comedy show last night.”
12. find something completely unfunny
“I find his videos completely unfunny and too long.”
Real-World Examples
“But for every genuinely funny employee or boss, there are others whose unfunny or inappropriate jokes make colleagues wince.” “Wood previously criticised the Saturday Night Live sketch as "mean and unfunny".” Etymology
From un- + funny.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/unfunny