55 Idioms for Funny People and Humor

Humor is a universal language that brings people together, lightens moods, and makes life more enjoyable. Whether you’re the life of the party or just enjoy a good chuckle, idioms about humor can add a sprinkle of wit to your conversations.

Here, we dive into 55 idioms that funny people love, each with its own quirky meaning and example. Get ready to uncover some delightful phrases that will tickle your funny bone!

1. Laughter is the best medicine

• Meaning: Humor and laughter can improve one’s mood and health.
• In a Sentence: After a long week, we all gathered for a comedy night because laughter is the best medicine.
• Other Ways to Say: Humor heals, Chuckles cure, Giggles are therapeutic.

2. Break the ice

• Meaning: To initiate conversation in a social setting, making people feel more comfortable.
• In a Sentence: He told a funny joke to break the ice at the awkward party.
• Other Ways to Say: Start the conversation, Ease the tension, Warm up the crowd.

3. A laugh a minute

• Meaning: Something that is extremely funny or entertaining.
• In a Sentence: Her stand-up routine was a laugh a minute; I couldn’t stop giggling!
• Other Ways to Say: Non-stop laughs, Hilarious throughout, Constantly amusing.

4. In stitches

• Meaning: To be laughing uncontrollably.
• In a Sentence: The movie was so funny that I was in stitches the entire time.
• Other Ways to Say: Rolling on the floor laughing, Double over in laughter, Howling with laughter.

5. Pulling someone’s leg

• Meaning: To tease or joke with someone in a playful manner.
• In a Sentence: I thought he was serious about moving to Antarctica, but he was just pulling my leg.
• Other Ways to Say: Joking around, Kiddding someone, Having a laugh at someone’s expense.

6. The life of the party

• Meaning: Someone who is lively and entertaining in social gatherings.
• In a Sentence: She’s always the life of the party with her hilarious stories.
• Other Ways to Say: Center of attention, Social butterfly, Fun-maker.

7. Laughing stock

• Meaning: A person or thing that is the subject of ridicule.
• In a Sentence: After that embarrassing slip, he became the laughing stock of the office.
• Other Ways to Say: Subject of mockery, Object of ridicule, Joke of the town.

8. To have a whale of a time

• Meaning: To have an extremely good time.
• In a Sentence: We had a whale of a time at the amusement park last weekend.
• Other Ways to Say: Having a blast, Enjoying every moment, A fantastic time.

9. On the same wavelength

• Meaning: To share similar ideas or feelings, especially in humor.
• In a Sentence: We’re on the same wavelength when it comes to our taste in comedy.
• Other Ways to Say: In sync, Thinking alike, In harmony.

10. Lighten up

• Meaning: To relax and stop being serious.
• In a Sentence: You need to lighten up; it was just a joke!
• Other Ways to Say: Chill out, Take it easy, Don’t be so serious.

11. Crack up

• Meaning: To laugh uncontrollably.
• In a Sentence: His impression of the boss made everyone crack up!
• Other Ways to Say: Burst into laughter, Break into giggles, Start laughing hard.

12. A funny bone

• Meaning: A sense of humor.
• In a Sentence: She has a funny bone that always brings joy to those around her.
• Other Ways to Say: Sense of humor, Wit, Comedic talent.

13. Get the ball rolling

• Meaning: To start something, especially a conversation or activity.
• In a Sentence: Let’s get the ball rolling with a few jokes before the meeting starts!
• Other Ways to Say: Kick things off, Start the process, Get things moving.

14. Chime in

• Meaning: To join in a conversation or discussion, especially with a humorous comment.
• In a Sentence: He chimed in with a hilarious comment that had everyone laughing.
• Other Ways to Say: Join the conversation, Add your two cents, Jump into the discussion.

15. A joke is a funny thing

• Meaning: Refers to the unpredictable nature of humor.
• In a Sentence: A joke is a funny thing; sometimes it lands, and sometimes it doesn’t!
• Other Ways to Say: Humor is unpredictable, Comedy is hit or miss, Jokes can surprise.

16. Spill the beans

• Meaning: To reveal a secret or joke, often unintentionally.
• In a Sentence: He accidentally spilled the beans about the surprise party!
• Other Ways to Say: Let the cat out of the bag, Reveal the secret, Give away the surprise.

17. Hold your horses

• Meaning: To slow down and be patient.
• In a Sentence: Hold your horses; we’ll tell the joke when everyone is ready to listen!
• Other Ways to Say: Take it easy, Wait a minute, Calm down.

18. Full of beans

• Meaning: Energetic and lively.
• In a Sentence: The kids were full of beans after their sugar rush!
• Other Ways to Say: Full of energy, Lively, Spirited.

19. The punchline

• Meaning: The final part of a joke that delivers the humor.
• In a Sentence: He delivered the punchline perfectly, and the room erupted in laughter.
• Other Ways to Say: The climax of the joke, The funny twist, The final joke.

20. A rib-tickler

• Meaning: Something that is very funny.
• In a Sentence: That comedian is a rib-tickler; I can’t stop laughing!
• Other Ways to Say: A hilarious moment, A comedy gem, A side-splitter.

21. Throw a curveball

• Meaning: To surprise someone with something unexpected, often humorous.
• In a Sentence: His unexpected joke threw a curveball into the serious discussion.
• Other Ways to Say: Surprise someone, Hit with the unexpected, Catch off guard.

22. A real hoot

• Meaning: Something that is extremely funny.
• In a Sentence: The movie was a real hoot; I couldn’t stop laughing.
• Other Ways to Say: A laugh riot, A comedic hit, A barrel of laughs.

23. Have a laugh

• Meaning: To enjoy a moment of humor.
• In a Sentence: Let’s sit down and have a laugh over coffee.
• Other Ways to Say: Share a joke, Enjoy a chuckle, Have fun together.

24. Tickled pink

• Meaning: To be very pleased or amused.
• In a Sentence: She was tickled pink by all the compliments after her performance.
• Other Ways to Say: Thrilled, Delighted, Overjoyed.

25. To be in high spirits

• Meaning: To feel very happy and cheerful.
• In a Sentence: Everyone was in high spirits after the comedy show.
• Other Ways to Say: Feeling joyful, In a good mood, Cheerful.

26. A tall tale

• Meaning: An exaggerated story that is often humorous.
• In a Sentence: His fishing stories are always tall tales, full of impossible feats!
• Other Ways to Say: Exaggerated story, Fantastic tale, Whopper.

27. Go out on a limb

• Meaning: To take a risk, often for humor or creativity.
• In a Sentence: I went out on a limb with that joke, hoping it would land well.
• Other Ways to Say: Take a chance, Risk it, Step out of comfort zone.

28. A punchline waiting to happen

• Meaning: A situation that is likely to become humorous.
• In a Sentence: This setup is a punchline waiting to happen; I can already see the joke!
• Other Ways to Say: Ready for a joke, Perfect for humor, Likely to be funny.

29. Leave them in stitches

• Meaning: To make someone laugh uncontrollably.
• In a Sentence: His performance left everyone in stitches!
• Other Ways to Say: Make them laugh hard, Have them rolling, Bring the house down.

30. Call it a day

• Meaning: To decide to stop working or doing something, often humorously.
• In a Sentence: After all those jokes, I think we should call it a day!
• Other Ways to Say: Wrap it up, End the session, Finish for now.

31. A big hit

• Meaning: Something that is very successful or popular, especially in humor.
• In a Sentence: That new comedy series is a big hit among viewers!
• Other Ways to Say: A success, Very popular, Well-received.

32. The joke’s on you

• Meaning: When someone who tries to make a joke ends up being the subject of the humor.
• In a Sentence: You thought you could prank me, but the joke’s on you!
• Other Ways to Say: You’re the punchline, You fell for it, Humor’s turned against you.

33. A wisecrack

• Meaning: A clever or witty remark, often humorous.
• In a Sentence: He always has a wisecrack ready for every situation.
• Other Ways to Say: Witty comment, Smart remark, Clever joke.

34. To have the last laugh

• Meaning: To ultimately succeed or find humor in a situation, especially after facing challenges.
• In a Sentence: Despite the setbacks, she had the last laugh when her project succeeded.
• Other Ways to Say: Come out on top, Ultimately succeed, End on a high note.

35. A barrel of laughs

• Meaning: A source of great amusement.
• In a Sentence: Our road trip was a barrel of laughs from start to finish.
• Other Ways to Say: Full of fun, Extremely funny, A joy to be around.

36. Giggle fest

• Meaning: A time when people laugh uncontrollably together.
• In a Sentence: The kids had a giggle fest at the sleepover with all their silly games.
• Other Ways to Say: Laughter party, Chuckle session, Fun time.

37. A comedic genius

• Meaning: Someone exceptionally talented in humor and comedy.
• In a Sentence: Robin Williams was truly a comedic genius, always bringing joy to his audience.
• Other Ways to Say: Humor master, Comedy whiz, Funny prodigy.

38. To be on cloud nine

• Meaning: To feel extremely happy or elated, often due to humor.
• In a Sentence: After hearing the funny news, I was on cloud nine!
• Other Ways to Say: In seventh heaven, Over the moon, Extremely happy.

39. To be a good sport

• Meaning: To handle a situation humorously, even if it’s not in your favor.
• In a Sentence: He was a good sport about losing the game and laughed it off.
• Other Ways to Say: Sportive, Good-natured, Easygoing.

40. Get a kick out of

• Meaning: To enjoy or find something amusing.
• In a Sentence: I really get a kick out of dad’s corny jokes!
• Other Ways to Say: Enjoy, Find funny, Amuse oneself.

41. A laugh riot

• Meaning: Something that is extremely funny and causes a lot of laughter.
• In a Sentence: That comedy show was a laugh riot; I could barely breathe from laughing!
• Other Ways to Say: Hilarious performance, Comedy extravaganza, Side-splitting show.

42. The elephant in the room

• Meaning: A significant issue or problem that everyone is aware of but avoids discussing, often humorously.
• In a Sentence: We finally addressed the elephant in the room when someone cracked a joke about it.
• Other Ways to Say: Unspoken issue, Obvious problem, Major concern.

43. Have your cake and eat it too

• Meaning: To have the best of both worlds, often humorously.
• In a Sentence: She wants to travel the world but also have a stable job; she wants to have her cake and eat it too!
• Other Ways to Say: Want it all, Have it both ways, Enjoy both sides.

44. On a roll

• Meaning: To be experiencing a streak of good luck or success, often humorously.
• In a Sentence: After telling several great jokes, he felt like he was on a roll!
• Other Ways to Say: In a groove, Hitting a winning streak, Riding high.

45. To be all ears

• Meaning: To be fully attentive and ready to listen, especially for something humorous.
• In a Sentence: I’m all ears for your latest funny story!
• Other Ways to Say: Listening closely, Fully attentive, Eager to hear.

46. A knee-slapper

• Meaning: A very funny joke or story.
• In a Sentence: That was a knee-slapper; I haven’t laughed that hard in ages!
• Other Ways to Say: Hilarious joke, Side-splitter, Comedy gold.

47. To turn a frown upside down

• Meaning: To make someone happy when they are feeling sad.
• In a Sentence: A good joke can really turn a frown upside down.
• Other Ways to Say: Bring joy, Make someone smile, Cheer up.

48. To burst into laughter

• Meaning: To suddenly start laughing.
• In a Sentence: She burst into laughter when she heard the punchline!
• Other Ways to Say: Start laughing suddenly, Break into laughter, Explode with laughter.

49. A sense of humor

• Meaning: The ability to appreciate and express humor.
• In a Sentence: It’s important to have a sense of humor, especially in challenging times.
• Other Ways to Say: Humor appreciation, Comedic sensibility, Wit.

50. To tickle someone’s fancy

• Meaning: To amuse or please someone.
• In a Sentence: That quirky joke really tickled my fancy!
• Other Ways to Say: Amuse, Delight, Charm.

51. The punch of a joke

• Meaning: The impact or effectiveness of a joke.
• In a Sentence: Timing can make all the difference in the punch of a joke.
• Other Ways to Say: Effectiveness of humor, Impact of a joke, Strength of comedy.

52. A comedy of errors

• Meaning: A humorous situation resulting from a series of mistakes.
• In a Sentence: The party turned into a comedy of errors with all the mix-ups!
• Other Ways to Say: Series of blunders, Humorous mishaps, Funny misadventures.

53. To laugh it off

• Meaning: To dismiss something as unimportant or humorous.
• In a Sentence: He decided to laugh it off instead of getting upset about the mistake.
• Other Ways to Say: Brush it aside, Take it lightly, Dismiss seriously.

54. To see the funny side

• Meaning: To find humor in a difficult or unpleasant situation.
• In a Sentence: Even during the chaos, she managed to see the funny side of things.
• Other Ways to Say: Find humor in it, Look for the light side, Laugh through it.

55. A comedic twist

• Meaning: An unexpected humorous turn in a story or joke.
• In a Sentence: The story had a comedic twist that left everyone in stitches!
• Other Ways to Say: Humorous turn, Funny surprise, Comedic change.

Humor is a powerful tool that not only entertains but also connects us. By using these idioms, you can enhance your conversations and spread laughter wherever you go. So, go ahead, sprinkle some humor into your life and let the good times roll!

Quiz: 55 Idioms for Funny People and Humor

1. What does the idiom “Laughter is the best medicine” mean?

a) Humor is not important
b) Humor and laughter can improve one’s mood and health
c) Laughter is harmful
d) Medicine is more important than humor
Answer: b) Humor and laughter can improve one’s mood and health

2. What is the meaning of “Break the ice”?

a) To start a conversation in a social setting
b) To freeze something
c) To finish a task
d) To end a relationship
Answer: a) To start a conversation in a social setting

3. If someone is “in stitches,” what does that signify?

a) They are feeling sad
b) They are laughing uncontrollably
c) They are sewing
d) They are telling a serious story
Answer: b) They are laughing uncontrollably

4. What does the idiom “Pulling someone’s leg” refer to?

a) Teasing or joking with someone
b) Injuring someone
c) Helping someone
d) Ignoring someone
Answer: a) Teasing or joking with someone

5. What does it mean to be “the life of the party”?

a) Someone who is quiet and reserved
b) Someone who is lively and entertaining
c) Someone who leaves early
d) Someone who doesn’t enjoy socializing
Answer: b) Someone who is lively and entertaining

6. If a movie is described as “a laugh a minute,” what does that mean?

a) It is boring
b) It has a lot of funny moments
c) It is very long
d) It is a drama
Answer: b) It has a lot of funny moments

7. What does it mean to “lighten up”?

a) To become serious
b) To relax and stop being serious
c) To make something heavier
d) To get angry
Answer: b) To relax and stop being serious

8. If you are “all ears,” what does that mean?

a) You are not listening
b) You are fully attentive and ready to listen
c) You are confused
d) You are ignoring someone
Answer: b) You are fully attentive and ready to listen

9. What does “to have a whale of a time” indicate?

a) To have a boring experience
b) To have a fantastic time
c) To feel sad
d) To be underwater
Answer: b) To have a fantastic time

10. If something is described as “a rib-tickler,” what does it refer to?

a) A serious matter  
b) Something that is very funny  
c) A sad story  
d) A boring event  
Answer: b) Something that is very funny