farce
Say it: FARS /fɑːs/ · noun
What “farce” means
A comedy full of ridiculous situations and mix-ups.
More precisely: A comedy of absurd situations; or a real event so badly run it seems ridiculous.
When to use it
Use it for comedy built on absurd misunderstandings, or to criticise a real event that becomes ridiculously badly organised.
It can also mean
It also means a real event so badly organised that it seems ridiculous.
Similar words
mockery, travesty, shambles
Where it comes from
From French, 'stuffing'; comic interludes were 'stuffed' into religious plays.
Quick check
In a play, three guests hide in the wrong cupboards while the host mistakes a burglar for the plumber. That's…
a tragedy or a farce?
Show the answer
a farce
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