A hilarious or An hilarious: Which Is Correct?

Updated 2026-10-03 · Which One Is Correct editorial team

Quick answer: The correct phrase is always a hilarious. You should never use an hilarious because the word hilarious begins with a consonant sound. The choice between a and an depends entirely on how the next word sounds when you speak it, not on how it is spelled.

The Short Answer

The only correct form is a hilarious, as standard English grammar requires the article a before words starting with a consonant sound.

People often confuse these forms because they mistakenly believe that spelling dictates the choice. Since hilarious starts with the letter h, which is a consonant, the rule is straightforward and does not rely on silent letters.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Form	Status	Use it when
a hilarious	Correct	The following word starts with a hard consonant sound.
an hilarious	Incorrect	Never use this combination in any context or region.
a	Article	Placed before consonant sounds like h, k, or p.
an	Article	Placed before vowel sounds like a, e, i, o, or u.

Correct Example Sentences

We watched a hilarious comedy special last night.
Her presentation included a hilarious anecdote about her dog.
The book contains a hilarious chapter about office life.
I laughed at a hilarious meme on social media.
He told a hilarious story that made everyone cry.
That movie was a hilarious disaster from start to finish.
She has a hilarious sense of humor that charms everyone.
Reading a hilarious novel is my favorite weekend activity.
The comedian delivered a hilarious routine about travel.
His reaction was a hilarious moment captured on video.

Common Mistakes and Fixes

We saw an hilarious show yesterday.: We saw a hilarious show yesterday.
It was an hilarious mistake by the chef.: It was a hilarious mistake by the chef.
She wrote an hilarious blog post.: She wrote a hilarious blog post.
That is an hilarious joke you told.: That is a hilarious joke you told.
He made an hilarious face at me.: He made a hilarious face at me.
I found an hilarious video online.: I found a hilarious video online.

A Quick Test You Can Use

Say the word hilarious out loud slowly and listen to the very first sound you make. If that initial sound is a crisp consonant, you must use the article a. If the word began with a vowel sound, you would use an instead.

Related Word Pairs

A historic vs An historic: Use a historic because the h is pronounced clearly.
A hotel vs An hotel: Use a hotel as the h sound is active.
A hour vs An hour: Use an hour because the h is silent.
A university vs An university: Use a university due to the y sound.
A apple vs An apple: Use an apple because it starts with a vowel.

More Example Sentences

The puppy performed a hilarious trick at the pet show.
Her attempt to cook pasta resulted in a hilarious kitchen disaster.
We shared a hilarious photo of the cat wearing sunglasses.
That actor delivered a hilarious monologue during the audition.
The children created a hilarious drawing of their family vacation.
It was a hilarious coincidence that we both wore matching hats.
The teacher told a hilarious story about a mischievous student.
Our neighbor planted a hilarious garden full of novelty vegetables.
The video features a hilarious dance routine by office workers.
He wrote a hilarious email that made the whole team chuckle.

Quick Practice

The clown made hilarious face to entertain the crowd.

She shared hilarious anecdote about her first day at work.

That movie contains hilarious scene involving a slippery floor.

My brother told hilarious joke at the dinner table.

The internet is full of hilarious memes about everyday life.

He performed hilarious skit for the school talent show.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do some people write an hilarious?

They likely confuse the spelling rule with the sound rule. Since hilarious starts with a consonant letter that is pronounced, the article a is required, not an.

Is hilarious an exception to the a and an rule?

No, it follows the standard rule perfectly. Because the h is pronounced, it acts as a consonant sound, which dictates the use of the article a before it.

Can I use an hilarious in British English?

No, both American and British English follow the same phonetic rule here. The h is pronounced, so a hilarious is correct in all standard varieties of English.

What if hilarious describes a plural noun?

You do not use a or an with plural nouns. You would simply say hilarious movies or hilarious jokes, removing the article entirely from the sentence structure.