humorous

This word carries a sense of wit and cleverness, often implying a lighthearted or playful approach to a subject. It is more formal than funny and suggests a quality of being amusing rather than just a reaction to a joke. In professional or academic writing, it is used to describe a style or tone that avoids being overly solemn. While funny can describe a slapstick accident, humorous usually describes a deliberate attempt to be entertaining or a quirky observation of life.