droll
1 of 3adjective
ˈdrōl 
: having a humorous, whimsical, or odd quality
his dignified presence decorated our droll little quarters
Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks drollness noun
drolly
ˈdrō(l)-lē
adverb droll
2 of 3noun
: an amusing person : jester, comedian
droll
3 of 3verb
drolled; drolling; drolls
intransitive verb
archaic
: to make fun : jest, sport
drolling a little upon the corporal Laurence Sterne
Laurence Sterne
Synonyms
Adjective
- antic
- chucklesome
- comedic
- comic
- comical
- farcical
- funny
- hilarious
- humoristic
- humorous
- hysterical
- hysteric
- killing
- laughable
- ludicrous
- ridiculous
- riotous
- risible
- screaming
- sidesplitting
- uproarious
Noun
- card
- comedian
- comic
- farceur
- funnyman
- gagger
- gagman
- gagster
- humorist
- jester
- joker
- jokester
- wag
- wit
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective a droll little man with a peculiar sense of humor a book of droll stories Noun the drolls of late-night TV had a field day with that senator's sexual shenanigans
Recent Examples on the Web Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2022 Perna poked a wickedly droll finger in the eye of an unprecedented 1980s art-market boom, which was setting records and garnering headlines. Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2022 His low-key swagger and distinct delivery — engagingly droll, with a slurred word sometimes playfully disrupting his sharp flow — drew listeners in to his witty wordplay. Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Dec. 2021 But the emphasis is on droll appearance and laidback energy approaching stasis, not character or dramatic development. Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 21 Oct. 2021 But he’ll be best remembered by many as the fantastically droll anchor of Weekend Update during his run on Saturday Night Live. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2021 Naturally, not everyone is going to get along, but the relationships and rivalries never become overwhelming under the deft and droll pen of New York Times bestselling author and bookstore owner Emma Straub. Rachel King, Fortune, 23 May 2020 Also there’s Joan Cusack, having a high, droll time of it as a Pentagon official giddy at the prospect of using the memory berry for all sorts of new and fabulous projects. cleveland, 22 May 2020 Gavin’s an important white guy surrounded by important white people, and Good Fight keeps approaching the acquisition with droll cynicism. Darren Franich, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2020 Amel Mukhtar, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2022 The primary cast now includes Jane Fonda, who voices a pink dragon who can sniff out bad luck, and Whoopi Goldberg, who plays a droll leprechaun taskmaster. New York Times, 1 Aug. 2022 Complete with a drool-worthy library and a droll butler, Dare offers up her take on the fairy-tale that celebrates the delights of discovering something that wasn't there before. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 July 2022 The warmth is still there, along with the twisty whodunit, the New York atmosphere, the droll humor, and, with Amy Schumer, Michael Rapoport, and Shirley MacLaine, the guest stars. Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, 28 June 2022 Rutschman alone won’t turn the Orioles’ tide, Saturday showed, but his presence brought a new energy to Camden Yards, a venue that during the course of Baltimore’s rebuild has featured many droll nights. Nathan Ruiz, Baltimore Sun, 21 May 2022 South Park is a punk-rock Simpsons: not as droll nor as well-executed, but faster, cruder, with fewer characters and less ambition. Chris Norris, SPIN, 13 Aug. 2022 Turns out the three remaining solutions were droit, dross and droll. Erik Kain, Forbes, 28 June 2022 Selena Gomez thinks her sarcastic and droll Only Murders in the Building character Mabel might be infiltrating her psyche. Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 30 June 2022 See More
Adjective
Diedrich Bader remains a droll delight as Sam's non-romantic soulmate, Rich, who supports Max during a major life decision. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2022 Perna poked a wickedly droll finger in the eye of an unprecedented 1980s art-market boom, which was setting records and garnering headlines. Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2022 His low-key swagger and distinct delivery — engagingly droll, with a slurred word sometimes playfully disrupting his sharp flow — drew listeners in to his witty wordplay. Piet Levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1 Dec. 2021 But the emphasis is on droll appearance and laidback energy approaching stasis, not character or dramatic development. Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 21 Oct. 2021 But he’ll be best remembered by many as the fantastically droll anchor of Weekend Update during his run on Saturday Night Live. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2021 Naturally, not everyone is going to get along, but the relationships and rivalries never become overwhelming under the deft and droll pen of New York Times bestselling author and bookstore owner Emma Straub. Rachel King, Fortune, 23 May 2020 Also there’s Joan Cusack, having a high, droll time of it as a Pentagon official giddy at the prospect of using the memory berry for all sorts of new and fabulous projects. cleveland, 22 May 2020 Gavin’s an important white guy surrounded by important white people, and Good Fight keeps approaching the acquisition with droll cynicism. Darren Franich, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2020 Noun
In a nutshell: Tim Burton makes his TV debut with an Addams Family coming-of-age spin-off centring on droll daughter Wednesday, played by Jenna Ortega, coming to Netflix soon. Amel Mukhtar, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2022 The primary cast now includes Jane Fonda, who voices a pink dragon who can sniff out bad luck, and Whoopi Goldberg, who plays a droll leprechaun taskmaster. New York Times, 1 Aug. 2022 Complete with a drool-worthy library and a droll butler, Dare offers up her take on the fairy-tale that celebrates the delights of discovering something that wasn't there before. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 July 2022 The warmth is still there, along with the twisty whodunit, the New York atmosphere, the droll humor, and, with Amy Schumer, Michael Rapoport, and Shirley MacLaine, the guest stars. Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, 28 June 2022 Rutschman alone won’t turn the Orioles’ tide, Saturday showed, but his presence brought a new energy to Camden Yards, a venue that during the course of Baltimore’s rebuild has featured many droll nights. Nathan Ruiz, Baltimore Sun, 21 May 2022 South Park is a punk-rock Simpsons: not as droll nor as well-executed, but faster, cruder, with fewer characters and less ambition. Chris Norris, SPIN, 13 Aug. 2022 Turns out the three remaining solutions were droit, dross and droll. Erik Kain, Forbes, 28 June 2022 Selena Gomez thinks her sarcastic and droll Only Murders in the Building character Mabel might be infiltrating her psyche. Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 30 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective, Noun, and Verb
French drôle, from drôle scamp, from Middle French drolle, from Middle Dutch, imp
First Known Use
Adjective
1623, in the meaning defined above
Noun
circa 1645, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1654, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
droll
adjective
ˈdrōl
droller; drollest
: having an odd or amusing quality
a droll expression
drollness
noun
as in humorousness
the amusing quality or element in something fans of Edward Gorey appreciate the delicious drollness of his illustrations of poker-faced individuals caught in macabre situations Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- humorousness
- humor
- irony
- comicality
- drollery
- richness
- comedy
- funniness
- hilariousness
- whimsicality
- comic
- amusement
- uproariousness
- enjoyment
- ludicrousness
- absurdity
- satire
- wryness
- ridiculousness
- jocularity
- playfulness
- jokiness
- slapstick
- wittiness
- pleasure
- burlesque
- parody
- spoof
- laughableness
- farce
- lampoon
- fun
- takeoff
- caricature
- waggishness
- jest
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- pathos
- sorrow
- grief
- anguish
- seriousness
- misery
- torture
- woe
- gravity
- agony
- heartbreak
- torment
- solemnity
- heartache
- tribulation
- somberness
- solemnness
- soberness
- dolor