Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com

no laughing matter

ADJECTIVE
serious
Synonyms
STRONGEST
dangerous deep difficult far-reaching grievous important major meaningful severe significant tough urgent
WEAK
arduous fateful fell formidable grave grim hard heavy laborious meaning business menacing momentous no joke of consequence operose out for blood playing hard ball pressing smoking sobering strenuous strictly business threatening ugly unamusing unhumorous worrying
Antonyms
STRONGEST
calm easy facile friendly insignificant little meaningless minor small trivial unimportant worthless
WEAK
flippant funny happy light unserious

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The image of an officer peering into the empty driver’s seat of the offending vehicle may have been good for a chuckle, but other incidents have been no laughing matter.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

While the male friendship recession is no laughing matter, Andrew DeYoung’s new film “Friendship” explores the phenomenon to reveal all of its anxious, hysterical customs.

From Salon • May 12, 2025

Its warnings, then as now, certainly sound extremely serious—McCarthyism, witch hunts, and gulags are no laughing matter.

From Slate • Jan. 5, 2025

Climate change is no laughing matter, unless it’s the inspiration for comedy.

From New York Times • Feb. 13, 2024

Hagrid being at least twice the size of a normal man, this was no laughing matter.

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling