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.
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 Snapshots—whether a short sentence, a powerful one-liner or a compelling image—fit seamlessly into these platforms. Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 Tossing the one-liners around, some directly from the real Trump, Musk and Rubio, the best part of tonight’s Oval Office cold open was all Myers — just like last week. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2025 Midway through the 97th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday (March 2), host Conan O’Brien fired off a Kendrick Lamar one-liner that once again made Drake the butt of the joke — this time at the Oscars. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 3 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

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Cite this Entry

“One-liner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-liner. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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