joke

1 of 2

noun

ˈjōk 

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

: practical joke

d

: laughingstock

2

: something not to be taken seriously : a trifling matter

consider his skiing a joke

—Harold Callender

—often used in negative constructions

it is no joke to be lost in the desert

joke

2 of 2

verb

joked; joking

intransitive verb

: to make jokes : jest

transitive verb

: to make the object of a joke : kid

jokingly

ˈjō-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

Noun

• boff
• boffo
• boffola
• crack
• drollery
• funny
• gag
• giggle [chiefly British]
• jape
• jest
• josh
• laugh
• nifty
• one-liner
• pleasantry
• quip
• rib
• sally
• waggery
• wisecrack
• witticism
• yuk [slang]
• yuck
• yak
• yock

Verb

• banter
• chaff
• fool
• fun
• gag
• jape
• jest
• jive
• jolly
• josh
• kid
• quip
• wisecrack
• yuk [slang]
• yuck

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

Noun

While recalling the series of events leading up to the reveal, Brynn claimed that Erin had looped her in on the joke. —Esther Kang, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024

But for my money–and that’s a joke–the best show on the radio might be Marketplace. —Outside Online, 13 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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin jocus; perhaps akin to Old High German gehan to say, Sanskrit yācati he asks

First Known Use

Noun

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1670, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing joke

• can take a joke
• dad joke
• in-joke
• inside joke
• knock-knock joke
• no joke
• practical joke
• private joke
• running joke/gag
• standing joke
• take a joke
• the joke is on someone

Kids Definition

joke

1 of 2 noun

ˈjōk 

1

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

joke

2 of 2 verb

joked; joking

: to make jokes : jest

jokingly

ˈjō-kiŋ-lē 

adverb