This list includes 64 Funny words that start with H, from “ha-ha” to “hyperbole?”. Many are playful, onomatopoeic, or oddly shaped words you can use in jokes, writing prompts, and games.
Funny words that start with H are playful or amusing English terms beginning with H, often chosen for sound or whimsy. For example, “ha-ha” mimics laughter while “hyperbole” shows H can be both silly and literary.
Below you’ll find the table with Word and Definition.
Word: The actual funny term starting with H, shown so you can scan and pick words quickly for writing or games.
Definition: A concise one-sentence meaning and part of speech when helpful, so you understand usage and comedic tone.
Funny words that start with H
| Word | Part of Speech | Pronunciation | Origin/Notes | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| haboob | noun | hah-BOOB | Arabic habūb; borrowed into English | A desert dust storm; the goofy sound makes this severe weather term unexpectedly comic. |
| ha-ha | interjection | hah-hah | onomatopoeic laughter | A written laugh or laugh sound; the word literally looks like laughing, which is immediately amusing. |
| haggard? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| hanky-panky | noun | HANK-ee-PANG-kee | rhyming slang, early 20th c. | Mischief or flirtatious activity; the cheeky rhyme gives it playful, mischievous charm. |
| hangry | adj | HANG-gree | blend of hungry + angry | Irritable from hunger; the blend is relatable and funny because it names a very human mood. |
| harrumph | interjection | huh-RUMP | imitative grunt, 19th c. | A noisy, disapproving clearing of the throat; its gruff sound makes any complaint comical. |
| harum-scarum | adj | HAR-um-SKAR-um | reduplicative, humorous | Reckless or heedless; the bouncy repetition feels lighthearted and silly. |
| harum-scarum | adj | HAR-um-SKAR-um | reduplicative, humorous | Reckless or heedless; the bouncy repetition feels lighthearted and silly. |
| harridan? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| harum-scarum | adj | HAR-um-SKAR-um | reduplicative, humorous | Reckless or heedless; the bouncy repetition feels lighthearted and silly. |
| heebie-jeebies | noun | HEE-bee-JEE-beez | early 20th c. rhyming slang | A creeping unease; the sing-song pair sounds funnier than the feeling is scary. |
| hee-hee | interjection | HEE-hee | onomatopoeic giggle | A small giggle; it reads like laughter and encourages smiles, so it’s inherently funny. |
| hee-haw | interjection | HEE-haw | onomatopoeic donkey bray | A braying laugh or donkey sound; the animal association makes people laugh. |
| helter-skelter | adv | HEL-ter-SKEL-ter | Middle English, reduplication | Chaotically or in disorder; the tumbling sounds fit the chaotic meaning in a comic way. |
| hepcat | noun | HEP-cat | 1940s jazz slang | A cool, swing-era person; the retro slang sounds playful and slightly absurd today. |
| hi-de-ho | interjection | HEE-dee-hoh | popularized by Cab Calloway | A jazzy exclamation; the musical cadence feels whimsical and upbeat. |
| hiccup | noun | HIK-up | imitative | An involuntary spasm producing a sound; the tiny sound of the word mirrors the funny bodily hic. |
| higgermugger | noun | HIG-er-MUG-er | archaic, secrecy/confusion | Secretive confusion or disorder; the clunky syllables sound delightfully chaotic. |
| higgledy-piggledy | adj | HIG-uhl-dee-PIG-uhl-dee | reduplicative nursery formation | In disorder or jumbled; the rhyming nonsense syllables make the idea amusing. |
| highfalutin | adj | high-FA-loo-tin | alteration of high-flown | Pretentious or pompous; amusing because the word itself is grandiose and silly. |
| higgledy-piggledy | adj | HIG-uhl-dee-PIG-uhl-dee | reduplicative nursery formation | In disorder or jumbled; the rhyming nonsense syllables make the idea amusing. |
| hocus-pocus | noun | HOH-kus-POH-kus | pseudo-Latin conjuring phrase | Magic trickery or nonsense; the sing-song rhyme sounds like a stage magician’s patter. |
| hogwash | noun | HOG-wosh | figurative nonsense | Nonsense or rubbish; imagining pigs washing makes the dismissal comical. |
| hokum | noun | HOH-kum | vaudeville slang | Nonsense or contrived showmanship; sounds like hokey ham acting, so it’s amusingly dismissive. |
| hokey-pokey | noun | HOH-kee-POH-kee | carnival/ice-cream phrase | A silly dance or cheap treat; its sing-song rhythm is delightfully goofy. |
| hootenanny | noun | hoo-tuh-NAN-ee | American folk gatherings | An informal musical get-together; the cheerful word feels like a barn-raising of fun. |
| hooky | verb | HOOK-ee | playing hooky (skipping) | To skip school or work for fun; the childlike rhyme makes truancy sound mischievously fun. |
| hooray | interjection | hoo-RAY | celebratory cry | An exclamation of joy; the bright sound invites smiling celebration. |
| hooroo | interjection | hoo-ROO | Australian informal goodbye | An informal farewell; the cutesy, singsong tone gives it friendly humor. |
| hoosegow | noun | HOOZ-goh | from Spanish juez (jail) | Slang for jail; the odd sound turns a grim idea into comic slang. |
| hoopla | noun | HOO-pluh | 19th c. showbiz slang | Fuss, hype, or commotion; the puffy vowels make the commotion sound silly. |
| hooligan? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| hornswoggle | verb | HORN-swoh-gul | 19th c. American slang | To cheat or bamboozle; the ridiculous compound makes being conned sound almost whimsical. |
| horsefeathers | interjection | HORSE-FEETH-erz | 1920s euphemism | An old-fashioned term for nonsense; the ludicrous image makes the insult playful. |
| hotfoot | verb | HOT-foot | prank/move quickly | To move hastily or prank someone’s shoe; sounds like a comic caper. |
| hotshot | noun | HOT-shot | colloquial expert | A showy expert or daredevil; the brash monosyllables make it feel jaunty. |
| hubbub | noun | HUB-ub | imitative Middle English | A noisy commotion; the repeating ‘hub’ gives it a bouncy, comic feel. |
| hubba-hubba | interjection | HUB-uh-HUB-uh | 1940s slang of admiration | An exclamation of attraction; the repeated syllables sound flirtatious and funny. |
| huddle? | verb | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| huddlebug? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| huffalump? | noun | HUF-uh-lump | Pooh coinage (playful) | A fanciful creature name; silly and evocative, often used playfully (attestation depends on source). |
| hocus? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| hubbub | noun | HUB-ub | imitative Middle English | A noisy commotion; the repeating ‘hub’ gives it a bouncy, comic feel. |
| humdinger | noun | HUM-ding-er | 20th c. slang | An extraordinary person or thing; the emphatic sound makes it delightfully dramatic. |
| humdrum | adj | HUM-drum | reduplicative formation | Dull or monotonous; the word’s rhythm is amusingly on-the-nose for boredom. |
| humbug | noun | HUM-bug | 18th c. nonsense | Deceptive nonsense; Dickens popularized it and the curt sound is mock-serious. |
| humpty-dumpty | noun | HUM-pee-DUMP-tee | nursery rhyme character | A clumsy person or egg-like figure; the nursery-rhyme cadence is whimsically ridiculous. |
| hushpuppy | noun | HUSH-puh-pee | American regional food name | A fried cornmeal ball; the droll name is adorable and a little silly. |
| hyena? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| higgledy | adj | HIG-uhl-dee | short for higgledy-piggledy | Messy or disordered; the clipped form keeps the playful sound. |
| hyperbole? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| hydra? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| hurly-burly | noun | HUR-lee-BUR-lee | Shakespearean | Noisy turmoil or commotion; the rollicking double rhythm makes chaos sound almost fun. |
| hush-hush | adj | HUSH-hush | reduplicative confidential | Secret or confidential; the whispery repetition is amusingly conspiratorial. |
| hullabaloo | noun | HUL-uh-buh-LOO | imitative uproar word | Loud noise or fuss; saying it feels like joining the ruckus, which is funny. |
| humblebrag | noun | HUM-bul-BRAG | blend humble + brag | A boast disguised as modesty; the blended term winks at social theater, making it amusing. |
| half-baked | adj | HALF-BAYKT | idiomatic compound | Badly thought-out or foolish; the culinary metaphor for dumb ideas is comical. |
| horsey? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| hoity-toity | adj | HOY-tee-TOY-tee | reduplicative posh affectation | Snobbishly superior; the sing-song silliness undercuts the pretension in a funny way. |
| hive? | noun | (excluded) | (excluded) | (excluded) |
| hot dog | noun | HOT-dawg | food or show-off performer | A flamboyant performer or sandwich; the dual meaning and peppy sound give it comic energy. |
| holy-moley | interjection | HOH-lee-MOH-lee | euphemistic exclamation | A mild surprise exclamation; the funny-sounding minced oath is playful. |
| hodgepodge | noun | HODGE-pahj | from hotchpotch | A jumble or mixture; the clashing syllables match the messy meaning with comic effect |
| hooky | noun | HOOK-ee | colloquial skipping | Skipping responsibilities for fun; the jaunty sound makes rebellion feel playful. |
Descriptions
haboob
ha-ha
haggard?
hanky-panky
hangry
harrumph
harum-scarum
harum-scarum
harridan?
harum-scarum
heebie-jeebies
hee-hee
hee-haw
helter-skelter
hepcat
hi-de-ho
hiccup
higgermugger
higgledy-piggledy
highfalutin
higgledy-piggledy
hocus-pocus
hogwash
hokum
hokey-pokey
hootenanny
hooky
hooray
hooroo
hoosegow
hoopla
hooligan?
hornswoggle
horsefeathers
hotfoot
hotshot
hubbub
hubba-hubba
huddle?
huddlebug?
huffalump?
hocus?
hubbub
humdinger
humdrum
humbug
humpty-dumpty
hushpuppy
hyena?
higgledy
hyperbole?
hydra?
hurly-burly
hush-hush
hullabaloo
humblebrag
half-baked
horsey?
hoity-toity
hive?
hot dog
holy-moley
hodgepodge
hooky