Ma'anar ƙamus na "dark comedy" wani nau'i ne na wasan barkwanci da ke magana akan batutuwa masu tsanani, sau da yawa haramun a cikin ban dariya ko satirical. Ana siffanta shi da sautin rashin lafiya, maras kyau ko rashin kunya, kuma galibi yana ƙunshe da abubuwa na ban dariya, satire, ko baƙar dariya. Dark barkwanci ba a ko da yaushe aka yi niyya don zama m ko don raina batutuwan da ya shafi, a maimakon haka yana neman kalubalanci tsammanin masu sauraro da kuma binciko batutuwa marasa dadi ta hanyar da zai iya zama duka biyu nishadi da kuma tunani. Wasu misalan wasan barkwanci masu duhu sun haɗa da fina-finai kamar "Dr. Strangelove," "Fargo," da "American Psycho."