one-liner

noun

one-lin·​er ˌwən-ˈlī-nər How to pronounce one-liner (audio)
1
: a very succinct joke or witticism
2
: a succinct or meaningful and especially accurate statement

Examples of one-liner in a Sentence

the senator deftly inserted some smart one-liners into an otherwise sober speech
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Played by Charlie Cox, Matt became a fun, reliable go-to for cameos, often providing cheeky comic relief and memorable one-liners while getting other superheroes out of trouble. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2025 Brilliantly, Heath ramped up the character’s psychotic side rather than going for one-liners. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2025 The series endeared viewers with its warm tone and sharp one-liners, following a hardworking group of teachers at an underfunded Philadelphia public school. Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025 He’s got his wizardly role down to a science, wailing each of his biting one-liners with crisp economy. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for one-liner

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-liner was in 1962

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“One-liner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-liner. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!