funny
funny — adjective
1. Making you smile or laugh by being entertaining or amusing.
Making you smile or laugh by being entertaining or amusing.
Arjun told a funny story about his cat climbing the curtains, and everyone at the table laughed.
collocation: funny + story / joke / film / video
The film was so funny that Mayumi watched it three times in one week.
A funny video of a dog trying to catch its own tail appeared on Lan's phone feed.
What made the show so funny was the way the actors kept dropping their props on purpose.
Grandpa's funny jokes are always the best part of our Sunday dinners together.
- humorous
more formal; describes deliberate wit in writing, speech, or performance
- amusing
milder; causes pleasant entertainment without necessarily making you laugh out loud
- comical
suggests physical or visually exaggerated humour, like a clown's performance
- hilarious
much stronger than 'funny'; describes something extremely laugh-inducing
常見錯誤
2. Not ordinary or expected, so it is hard to make sense of or causes surprise.
Not ordinary or expected, so it is hard to make sense of or causes surprise.
Ilan noticed a funny smell coming from the kitchen and went to check the gas pipes.
collocation: funny + smell / sound / taste / feeling
Camille thought it was funny that her car would only start when it rained.
'it is funny that…' for unexpected situations
Ziad heard a funny noise in the engine, so he drove straight to the garage.
Nkechi found it funny how the neighbours all disappeared whenever there was a street party.
It is funny how the weather turned from bright sun to heavy rain in just ten minutes.
文法句型
it is funny + that/how/when clause
用法筆記
This sense often occurs in impersonal structures: 'it is funny that/how/when…' or 'find it funny that/how…'. The subject is typically 'it' or a person doing the finding, not the strange thing itself.
常見錯誤
3. Involving behaviour that is dishonest, illegal, or meant to trick someone, makin
Involving behaviour that is dishonest, illegal, or meant to trick someone, making you feel suspicious.
Adisa suspected something funny was going on when the shop offered him half the usual price.
pattern: something funny (going on) = suspicious activity
Ezra refused to sign the contract because some of the terms looked funny to him.
The reporter wrote about funny business involving city officials and a construction company.
The car buyer gave the salesman a funny look when he claimed the old car was brand new.
- suspicious
making you think something is wrong, though more formal
- dodgy
British informal; not honest, reliable, or safe
- shady
informal; of doubtful honesty, often used for deals and characters
- honest
truthful and not trying to trick anyone
- above board
completely legal and open, no hidden tricks
文法句型
something funny (going on)
funny business
用法筆記
Commonly used in the fixed expression 'funny business' (dishonest or suspicious activity) and the pattern 'something funny (going on)'. This sense describes situations or activities, not a person's general character — you would not say 'He is a funny person' to mean he is dishonest.
常見錯誤
4. Showing through your expression, tone, or silence that you are annoyed, offended
Showing through your expression, tone, or silence that you are annoyed, offended, or unfriendly towards someone.
Mateo gave his sister a funny look when she interrupted him for the third time that morning.
phrase: give + someone + a funny look = show annoyance
Grandma gets funny with us if we arrive late for Sunday lunch without calling first.
The librarian went all funny when the students started taking pictures inside the reading room.
Why is everyone being so funny today? Did I say something to upset someone?
- standoffish
deliberately cold and unfriendly in manner
- curt
responding with very few words in a rude way
- cold
showing no warm feelings, emotionally distant
文法句型
get/go funny with someone
give someone a funny look
用法筆記
Common in the patterns 'get funny with someone' (become annoyed/unfriendly towards someone) and 'go (all) funny' (suddenly become unfriendly or silent due to offence). The subject is always a person. This sense is informal and often appears in spoken English.
常見錯誤
5. Experiencing a mild physical discomfort, such as a sick stomach, dizziness, or a
Experiencing a mild physical discomfort, such as a sick stomach, dizziness, or a strange feeling in your body.
Bao felt funny after eating the spicy curry and had to lie down for a while.
pattern: feel + funny = feel slightly ill
The roller coaster left the child feeling funny in the stomach, so she sat down.
A funny feeling in her chest made the nurse check her blood pressure again.
If you start to feel funny during the run, stop at once and drink some water.
- queasy
feeling as if you might vomit, more specific to the stomach
- off-colour
British informal; feeling slightly unwell without a specific symptom
- under the weather
idiomatic; slightly ill, often from a mild cold or tiredness
文法句型
feel funny
feel a bit funny
用法筆記
Used only after linking verbs, especially 'feel' (and occasionally 'look'). Never placed before a noun in this sense — 'a funny stomach' does not mean a slightly ill stomach. The phrase 'all funny' adds emphasis to the feeling of discomfort.
常見錯誤
6. Behaving in a way that is slightly strange, unusual, or eccentric, often in an a
Behaving in a way that is slightly strange, unusual, or eccentric, often in an amusing or harmless manner — for example, talking to plants or keeping a collection of bottle caps.
Uncle Theo went a bit funny after retiring and started talking to plants.
pattern: go + funny = become eccentric
The old lady feeding the pigeons every morning is a little funny in the head.
phrase: funny in the head
People find him funny, but his unusual way of thinking leads to surprisingly good ideas.
That professor is a bit funny — she always wears mismatched shoes and nobody minds.
文法句型
go funny
a bit funny
funny in the head
用法筆記
Often used in 'go funny' (become eccentric) or 'a little/bit funny in the head'. This sense is informal and mild — it does not describe serious mental illness. It can also carry affection or amusement about someone's harmless quirks.
funny — noun
1. The series of humorous drawings or comic strips that appear together in a newspa
The series of humorous drawings or comic strips that appear together in a newspaper, usually in a dedicated section.
Every Sunday morning, the kids fight over who gets to read the funnies first.
plural-only: the funnies = the comics section
My father saved the funnies from every newspaper and kept them in a large cardboard box.
The funnies in this paper have better drawings than the ones in the city news.
When grandmother was young, she turned to the funnies before reading anything else in the paper.
- comics
the more common modern term for the comic section of a newspaper
- comic strips
the individual comic series, or the section collectively
文法句型
the funnies
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'the funnies'. This sense is somewhat dated; younger American speakers often say 'the comics' instead. In British English, 'the comics' or 'the comic strips' is more common.