farcical

F4A1R1C3I1C3A1L1
/ˈfɑː(ɹ)sɪkəl/

adjective

Resembling a farce; ludicrous; absurd.

UncommonScrabble 15

Meanings

farcical1

adjectivefarcical (comparative more farcical, superlative most farcical)

comparative more farcical · superlative most farcical

  1. Resembling a farce; ludicrous; absurd.

    In August the generals won approval for the document in a referendum made farcical by a law which forbade campaigners from criticising the text.

    2017 January 14, “Thailand's new king rejects the army's proposed constitution”, in The Economist
    2 more examples

    A closer look at North Korean history reveals what Pyongyang’s leaders really want their near-farcical belligerence to achieve — a reminder to the world that North Korea exists, and an impression abroad that its leaders are irrational and unpredictable.

    2013 April 9, Andrei Lankov, “Stay Cool. Call North Korea's Bluff.”, in New York Times

    An inquiry into lockdown parties in Downing Street, which could determine the fate of Boris Johnson, is expected to lay bare a “farcical” culture of drinking and impromptu socialising, with little oversight from senior officials, the Guardian understands.

    2022 January 13, Rajeev Syal et al., “No 10 party inquiry will reveal ‘farcical’ culture, say Whitehall sources”, in The Guardian

farcical2

adjectivefarcical (not comparable)
  1. not comparableobsoleterarebiologyPertaining to farcy.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivebroadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

farcical · adjective

From farce + -ical, after comical etc.

Full word history & related roots →

farcical · adjective

  1. Englishfarcy
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  4. Englishfarcical

From farcy + -ical.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch bespottelijk, lachwekkend
  • bespottelijkabsurd
  • lachwekkendabsurd
  • kluchtigabsurd
  • belachelijkabsurd
Esperanto ridinda
  • ridindaabsurd
Finnish farssimainen, järjetön
  • farssimainenabsurd
  • järjetönabsurd
French ridicule, risible
  • ridiculeabsurd
  • risibleabsurd
  • farfeluabsurd
  • burlesqueabsurd
  • grotesqueabsurd
German grotesk, irrwitzig
  • groteskabsurd
  • irrwitzigabsurd
  • aberwitzigabsurd
  • absurdabsurd
Icelandic fáránlegur, farsakenndur
  • fáránlegurabsurd
  • farsakenndurabsurd
  • farsakenndabsurd
  • farsakenntabsurd
  • fjarstæðukenndurabsurd
Latin mimicus
  • mimicusabsurd
Polish farsowy
  • farsowyabsurd
Romanian caraghios, absurd
  • caraghiosabsurd
  • absurdabsurd
  • burlescabsurd
  • grotescabsurd
Russian фарсовый
  • фарсовый (farsovyj)absurd
Spanish farsesco
  • farsescoabsurd
Swedish farsartad
  • farsartadabsurd
Tagalog matiyaw
  • matiyawabsurd
Cite this entry
APA

farcical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/farcical

MLA

“farcical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/farcical. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “farcical,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/farcical.

Source: farcical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.