1
a
: something said or done to provoke laughter
especially
: a brief oral narrative with a climactic humorous twist
b(1)
: the humorous or ridiculous element in something
(2)
: an instance of jesting : kidding
can't take a joke
c
d
2
: something not to be taken seriously : a trifling matter
consider his skiing a joke—
Harold Callender
—often used in negative constructionsHarold Callenderit is no joke to be lost in the desert
Synonyms
Examples of joke in a Sentence
Noun
She meant it as a joke, but many people took her seriously.
They played a harmless joke on him.
They are always making jokes about his car.
I heard a funny joke yesterday.
the punch line of a joke
I didn't get the joke.
That exam was a joke.
Their product became a joke in the industry.
He's in danger of becoming a national joke.
Verb
My friends would joke about the uniform I had to wear at work.
She joked about the possibility of losing her job.
I thought he was joking when he said he might quit, but it turned out that he really meant it.
Don't take it seriously: I was only joking.
She spent a few minutes joking with reporters after giving her speech.
She joked that she could always get work as a truck driver if she lost her job.
Recent Examples on the Web
John Russell, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Highlights included jokes about Trump, who hosted SNL in 2015, wearing an orange and yellow safety jacket as a jab at a garbage controversy and a comedic bit involving a broken microphone.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
Kimmel shared footage of a Pennsylvania rally where Trump joked about reporters getting shot.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for joke 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Saget and Coulier’s characters — who have also gained weight in old age — repeatedly make jokes about her size, which didn’t sit right with the Tanneritos hosts.
—John Russell, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Highlights included jokes about Trump, who hosted SNL in 2015, wearing an orange and yellow safety jacket as a jab at a garbage controversy and a comedic bit involving a broken microphone.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
Meyers also joked about having gone to an election watch party.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
Kimmel shared footage of a Pennsylvania rally where Trump joked about reporters getting shot.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for joke
Dictionary Entries Near joke
Cite this Entry
“Joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joke. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
joke
1 of 2 noun1
a
: something said or done to cause laughter
especially
: a brief story with a humorous twist
b
: the humorous element in something
c
: good-natured kidding
can't take a joke
2
: something not to be taken seriously
that exam was a joke
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