funnier

1. 1
   adjective

   Comparative form of funny.

   The sequel turned out to be funnier than the original film.

   His best man's speech was funnier than anyone at the wedding expected.

   Note

   One comparative carries two quite different kinds of funny. A funnier film is more amusing, but milk that smells funnier today is more strange or off. Only context tells them apart, so when the joke reading would be awkward, more amusing or odder says it plainly. The spelling follows the usual pattern: the final y of funny becomes i before -er.

   The milk smells funnier today than it did yesterday.

   The more I thought about his story, the funnier it seemed, and not in a good way.

2. 2
   adverb

   Comparative form of funny.

   The old printer behaves funnier now than it did when we first installed it.

   She walked funnier than usual after spending the day in tight new shoes.

   Note

   Here the comparison is of manner, and the meaning is strangeness, not humor. A printer that behaves funnier is behaving more oddly, not more comically. The adverb funny it compares is nonstandard, so in careful writing more strangely or more oddly does the same job. The amusing reading belongs to the adjective.

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