Funny vs. Silly — What's the Difference?

Difficult to explain or understand; strange or odd

Denoting fielding positions very close to the batsman

Causing laughter or amusement; humorous

Having or showing a lack of common sense or judgement; absurd and foolish

Comic strips in newspapers

(especially of a woman, child, or animal) helpless; defenceless.

A joke or witty remark

A foolish person (often used as a form of address)

Causing laughter or amusement

Having or exhibiting a lack of good judgment or common sense; foolish.

Making or given to making amusing jokes or witticisms

Lacking seriousness or responsibleness; frivolous

Appropriate as the subject of a joke; deserving of a joke. Used in negative sentences to express disapproval or to emphasize the seriousness of something

Semiconscious; dazed

Difficult to account for; unusual or odd

Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance.

Suspiciously odd

(of numbers, particularly prices) Absurdly large.

Counterfeit or fraudulent

Blessed, particularly:

(Informal) Somewhat ill, painful, or abnormal

Good; pious.

Offensively forward or disrespectful

Holy.

Contrary to one's demands or expectations

Pitiful, inspiring compassion, particularly:

A joke; a witticism

Innocent; suffering undeservedly, especially as an epithet of lambs and sheep.

Comic strips.

Helpless, defenseless.

The section of a newspaper containing comic strips.

Insignificant, worthless, especially with regard to land quality.

Amusing; humorous; comical.

Weak, frail; flimsy use concerning people and animals is now obsolete.

Strange or unusual, often implying unpleasant.

Sickly; feeble; infirm.

Showing unexpected resentment.

Simple, plain, particularly:

Homosexual; gay

Rustic, homely.

(informal) A joke.

(obsolete) Lowly, of humble station.

(informal) A comic strip.

Mentally simple, foolish, particularly:

(rowing) A rowboat with both ends pointed and out of the water.

(obsolete) Rustic, uneducated, unlearned.

(British) A narrow clinker-built boat for sculling.

Thoughtless, lacking judgment.

(nonstandard) In an unusual manner; strangely.

(Scottish) Mentally retarded.

In a manner seen as being typical of a homosexual, or indicating homosexuality

Stupefied, senseless; stunned or dazed.

Droll; comical; amusing; laughable; inciting laughter.

Very close to the batsman, facing the bowler; closer than short.

A clinkerbuit, narrow boat for sculling.

Sillily: in a silly manner.

Arousing or provoking laughter;

(colloquial) A silly person.

Beyond or deviating from the usual or expected;

A term of address.

Not as expected;

(colloquial) A mistake.

Experiencing odd bodily sensations;

Happy; fortunate; blessed.

In a strange manner;

Harmless; innocent; inoffensive.

In a comical manner;

Weak; helpless; frail.

Rustic; plain; simple; humble.

Weak in intellect; destitute of ordinary strength of mind; foolish; witless; simple; as, a silly woman.

Proceeding from want of understanding or common judgment; characterized by weakness or folly; unwise; absurd; stupid; as, silly conduct; a silly question.

A word used for misbehaving children;

Pungent adjectives of disesteem;

Lacking seriousness; given to frivolity;

Inspiring scornful pity;

Dazed from or as if from repeated blows;