Farce
/fɑːrs/
Definitions
2 meaningsA comic dramatic work that uses buffoonery, horseplay, and often improbable situations, characterized by crude characterization and exaggerated comedy.
/fɑːrs/
A comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and improbable situations.
The movie was a hilarious farce, filled with absurd situations and ridiculous characters.
💡 Simply: Think of a *farce* as a really funny, over-the-top play or movie where things are super silly and ridiculous. It's meant to make you laugh, even if the plot doesn't make much sense!
👶 For kids: A *farce* is a very silly story or play that is made to be funny!
More Examples
The entire political campaign turned into a public relations farce, with one scandal after another.
The film is a lowbrow, often predictable, but sometimes funny, farce.
How It's Used
"The play was a slapstick farce, filled with mistaken identities and outrageous situations."
"Critics often describe a show as a farce if it relies on exaggerated comedy and silly situations."
An event or situation that is absurd or ridiculous, or that makes a mockery of something.
/fɑːrs/
An event or situation that is absurd or ridiculous; a mockery.
The investigation was a total farce, with crucial evidence being ignored.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, a *farce* is a real-life situation that's so silly or messed up that it feels like a joke, even though it's not funny at all. It's like when things are completely out of control and ridiculous.
👶 For kids: A *farce* is a very silly or ridiculous event or situation.
More Examples
The whole situation had become a complete farce, with everyone behaving irrationally.
The hearing was a farce; no one seemed to take the proceedings seriously.
How It's Used
"The trial was a complete farce, with the judge openly biased."
"The election was described by some as a farce, due to widespread accusations of fraud."
From French *farce* meaning 'stuffing' (originally used in the context of theater to refer to comedic interludes), from Latin *farcire* 'to stuff'.
The term has been used since the 16th century, initially referring to comedic interludes in plays, evolving to describe any situation marked by absurdity and ridiculousness.
Memory tip
Imagine a *farce* is like a really silly play with lots of falling down and people getting the wrong ideas about things.