Sarcastic vs Facetious: Difference and Comparison

Both facetious and sarcastic are words that characterize two types of utterances or utterances that can be distinguished. A facetious statement is a lighthearted comment made about such a serious problem in an effort to be humorous, while a sarcastic comment is a harsh, stinging remark or a taunting made only with the intention of showing disdain.

Key Takeaways

1. Sarcastic remarks use irony to mock or convey contempt, while facetious comments are playfully humorous or inappropriate.
2. Sarcasm carries a negative tone or intent, while facetiousness is lighthearted and inoffensive.
3. Sarcasm can be hurtful, while facetious comments are intended to amuse rather than criticize.

Sarcastic vs Facetious

Sarcastic is a form of verbal irony that is used to mock or ridicule someone or something. Facetious is lighthearted, playful, or not intended to be taken seriously. Sarcasm is critical or mocking, while facetiousness is a more lighthearted form of humor that is not intended to be taken seriously.

Sarcastic denotes “having sarcastic qualities” or “using ironic words to purposely tease or insult a person.” It is derived from the Greek word sarkazein, meaning “bitterly talk.” When somebody is sarcastic, he says exactly the opposite of just what he actually entails in some sharp or harsh tone in order to insult others.

The term facetious derives from the Latin facetus, which means clever or funny. In current terminology, this term refers to just being dismissive or cavalier about a sensitive matter in an effort to be humorous or appear intelligent. Being Facetious is considered healthy by many people.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Sarcastic	Facetious
Derived From	The term sarcastic is derived from a Greek word sarkazein, whose meaning is “to talk bitterly.”	Whereas, Facetious is derived from a Latin term Facetus that means “witty.”
Meaning	Being sarcastic means “having sarcastic traits” or “using ironic words to purposely criticize or insult a person”.	On the other hand, Facetious clearly means “taking the situation in a funny and incorrect manner,”.
Remarks taken	A sarcastic statement employs the polar opposite of reality to mock the individual who is the target. A sarcastic statement might be biting and stinging.	Whereas, a facetious statement uses humor and amusement to deliver a message. A facetious comment can be regarded playfully.
Amuse and Hurt	As the term suggests, sarcastic statements are meant to hurt the person intentionally most of the times.	Facetious statements, on the other hand, are pretty much amusing and are taken as jokes.
Examples	Whenever something bad happens to an individual and they say – “That’s what I needed today”. This is an example of sarcastic situation.	Whenever a comedian jests with the audience, it is considered as Facetious.

What is Sarcastic?

Sarcastic denotes “having sarcastic qualities” or “using ironic words to purposely tease or insult a person.” It is derived from the Greek word sarkazein, meaning “bitterly talk.” When somebody is sarcastic, he says exactly the opposite of just what he actually entails in some sharp or harsh tone in order to insult others.

The Oxford Dictionary defines sarcasm as “the use of irony to insult or communicate contempt.” The individual intends the opposite of what they say when using sarcasm. Sarcasm is intended to be unpleasant and impolite; thus, the goal of sarcasm might be defined as disparaging, mocking, or ridiculing somebody.

As a result, it can have a negative impact. Sarcasm might be difficult to discern depending on the merits of the statement, but it can be noticed based on the presenter’s tone or attitude. A person’s sarcasm in statements is sometimes hidden under facetiousness.

What is Facetious?

The term facetious derives from the Latin facetus, which means clever or funny. In current terminology, this term refers to just being dismissive or cavalier about a sensitive matter in an effort to be humorous or appear intelligent. 

The same can be stated as treating a serious matter with purposefully irreverent humor. Facetious is widely used to explain an individual’s comment or statement. Whenever a comedian says something facetious, it is regarded as a joke and therefore is accepted lightly. 

As a result, the goal of someone being facetious is about being witty and getting people to chuckle without malice. It also comes from the French word “facetie,” which indicates “joke.” A facetious comment should be treated lightly, as contrasted to a sarcastic statement that can be unpleasant and nasty.

It is not necessarily offensive to state that somebody is being facetious. Facetious is just an adjective that means “not severe,” “waggish,” and facetiousness seems to be a noun.

Main Differences Between Sarcastic and Facetious

1. The term sarcastic is derived from the Greek word sarkazein, whose meaning is “to talk bitterly.” Whereas, Facetious is derived from the Latin term Facetus which means “witty.”
2. Being sarcastic means “having sarcastic traits” or “using ironic words to purposely criticize or insult a person.” On the other hand, Facetious clearly means “taking the situation in a funny and incorrect manner.”
3. A sarcastic statement employs the polar opposite of reality to mock the target individual. A sarcastic statement might be biting and stinging. In contrast, a facetious statement uses humour and amusement to deliver a message. A facetious comment can be regarded playfully.
4. As the term suggests, sarcastic statements are meant to hurt the person intentionally most of the time. Facetious statements, on the other hand, are pretty much amusing and are taken as jokes.
5. Whenever something bad happens to an individual, they say, “That’s what I needed today.” This is an example of a sarcastic situation. Whenever a comedian jests with the audience, it is considered as Facetious.

References

1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0261927X8800700202
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950705116301320