What is Malapropism — Definition & Iconic Comedy Examples

MALAPROPISM DEFINITION

First, let’s define malapropism

So what is a malapropism? You’ve probably heard thousands of malapropisms on TV and in movies, and maybe even from kooky Aunt Linda who never seems to get her words right. But do you know the exact meaning of malapropism? 

Below we define malapropism, and provide some common malapropism examples to help answer the burning question: What is a malapropism? 

MALAPROPISM EXAMPLES

What are examples of malapropism?

To recap, a malapropism is when someone messes up a word, using a word that sounds similar, but is not correct.  

Now that we’ve answered what malapropism is, let’s look at some examples from daily life. 

People mistakenly use malaprops all the time in conversation, and you’ve probably heard someone accidentally say one before, or even said one yourself! Have you heard any of these malaprops lately? 

People use malapropisms by accident in daily conversation, but writers intentionally use malapropisms as punchlines in their scripts. Malapropisms can be a great tool for comedy writers, and have been used for centuries to get the audience laughing. 

MALAPROPISM HISTORY

The origins of malapropisms 

The idea of using malapropisms for comedy originated long before film or TV. The term malapropism is a few centuries old, and it came from a character named Mrs. Malaprop in Richard Sheridan’s 1775 play The Rivals. Mrs. Malaprop constantly said the wrong word, like when she exclaimed, “He is the very pineapple of politeness!” She meant to say “pinnacle,” but Sheridan had Mrs. Malaprop use a malaprop for comedic effect. 

Here are few more of Mrs. Malaprop’s famous malapropisms: 

• “But the point we would request of you is, that you will promise to forget this fellow—to illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory.”

• “She's as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile.”

• “I am sorry to say, Sir Anthony, that my affluence over my niece is very small.” 

Malapropism examples in TV

Using malapropisms in comedy

If you love comedy, you’ve probably heard your favorite characters use malaprops before. Below are some quotes from beloved TV shows. In each example, the writer intentionally had the character say the phrase incorrectly, which is what makes it a malaprop (and hilarious!). 

Can you spot the word that makes these quotes malaprops? 

Malapropism Examples from TV:

• “Create a little dysentery in the ranks.” - Christopher Moltisanti, The Sopranos 

• “It’s a moo point. It’s like a cow’s opinion. You know, it doesn’t matter. It’s moo.” - Joey Tribiani, Friends 

• “Seems awfully mean. But sometimes the ends justify the mean.” - Michael Scott, The Office 

Comedy writers use malaprops to get a laugh. But malaprops are also a tool to give the audience more information about a character’s personality. A character that haughtily uses a malaprop can be interpreted as arrogant, while one that uses a completely nonsensical malaprop might be interrupted by the audience as having lower intelligence. 

For example, when Joey Tribiani explains a “moo point” to the rest of the cast on Friends, the audience can’t help but laugh at how confident he is, despite being completely wrong. This tells us that this character is overly confident in himself, often without any merit. From just this one malaprop, we’ve learned something important about how Joey moves through the world, and know more about his character. 

If you want to learn more about writing characters in a comedy, read our article on how to write comedy.

Malaprop vs. Mondegreen

The difference between a malapropism and a mondegreen

We know the definition of malapropism is when someone messes up a word and replaces it with a similar one. But when that happens with a song, it’s called something else entirely. A mondegreen is a misheard lyric from a song.

Mondegreens happen when a person listening to a song doesn’t hear the correct lyric. Instead, they unknowingly create their own lyric that sounds similar. Have you ever been singing along to a song in your car or shower, and said to yourself, Wait a minute. Am I singing that lyric right? You’re not alone! Songs are misheard all the time, and some of the most popular songs in history have famous mondegreens. 

Here are some examples of famous mondegreens: 

• In Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze,” people often hear, “Excuse me, while I kiss this guy” instead of “Excuse me, while I kiss the sky.”

• In The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” people often hear, “The girl with colitis goes by” instead of “the girl with kaleidoscope eyes.” 

• In Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space,” people often hear, “All the lonely Starbucks lovers,” instead of “Got a long list of ex-lovers.” 

While mondegreens are similar to malaprops (and often just as hilarious!), they only apply to songs and poems, and not to literature, TV, or film. 

Up Next

How To Write Comedy

Malapropisms are a great way to enhance your comedy screenplay and get the audience laughing. But now that you’ve mastered malapropism’s meaning and how to use it, there are plenty of other comedic devices to learn about. Comedy writers use all sorts of tips and tricks to punch up their scripts, from irony to slapstick comedy. Whether you are writing a pilot or feature, there are lots of devices you can use to make your readers laugh out loud. 

Up Next: How to Write Comedy →