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What is the Difference Between a double entendre and a pun?
The words double entendre and pun are both about double meanings. Double entendre, in fact, originated in an obsolete expression in French, which means “double meaning.” The origins of pun are less certain, but it likely traces to the Italian word puntiglio meaning “fine point, quibble.” In English, double entendre refers to a double meaning in which one meaning is usually shocking or risqué in its sexual suggestiveness. Pun usually has more to do with silly or humorous double meanings than with anything sexually suggestive or lewd.
Examples of pun in a Sentence
Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024
On the other hand, pun intended, bar soap frequently contains fewer chemicals and is more effective at removing visible dirt due to the friction necessary to create a lather.
—USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2024
Though Carrie spun the story into a pun-laden column, there’s nothing funny about derailing someone’s sobriety.
—Cady Lang, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
One person matched song titles as puns on Drake song titles.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024
Need Protein to Function Dear Need Protein: Your co-worker took the opportunity to demonstrate an advanced level of personal knowledge of your bosses, in order to curry flavor (excuse the pun) with these professional superiors.
—Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
As the hype builds around this remarkable event, brands are rushing to capitalize on its significance with some timely fun and puns.
—Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Losing an appeal would effectively have put the NAR out of commission (pun intended!).
—Jill Schlesinger, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2024
Forgive the pun, but the 10-18mm isn't an all-star here.
—PCMAG, 31 Mar. 2024
Rhoda Feng, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
Whitmer’s Saturday post — which followed the governor’s welcome video last summer for Taylor Swift — applauded Rodrigo’s efforts while punning off several of her hit song titles.
—Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 24 Mar. 2024
Favorite Hobbies: Reading (favorite genres: fantasy, science fiction and romance), running, playing pick-up soccer, crossword puzzling, and punning.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2023
But the Japanese embassy in Washington moved decisively to reassure the public, while revealing its staff are also fans who are not above punning on Swift songs in public statements.
—CBS News, 3 Feb. 2024
That’s one insider reference too many (Everett puns incessantly), but these facile jazz, blues, Invisible Man, even Flannery O’Connor stunts don’t really land for a culturally illiterate generation.
—Armond White, National Review, 15 Dec. 2023
Enter Email Sign Up The book’s punning title references bacteria and viruses, the vaccines designed to combat them, and such conspiratorial imaginings as Bill Gates’s mythical vaccine nanochip.
—Julia M. Klein, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2023
Appropriately enough, the system takes its punning name from a Surrealist painter, since DALL-E 2 is ideally trimmed to make soft watches and derby hats on dogs and trains racing out of fireplaces.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2023
Here are some themes and strains (pun cautiously intended) that caught my attention.
—Martha Schwendener, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pun.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Pun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pun. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
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