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.
Clean Slate, a mixed bag of lovable characters and stale one-liners, captures the appeal of that optimism but suffers from its naïveté in an era very different from the 1970s. Judy Berman, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025 But his one-liner about tariffs and immigration felt like end-times overload after his opening message about the L.A. wildfires. Justin Curto, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025 Epstein was known for his sense of humor, and since his name was publicized, a video of him delivering jokes and one-liners during in-flight announcements on a regional flight to Charlotte has gone viral on TikTok, with more than a million views. Ben Sales, Sun Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2025 The trademark Southern Belle will reenter the fold later this season, delivering her signature wit and unforgettable one-liners at exactly the right moment. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 30 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near one-liner

Cite this Entry

“One-liner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-liner. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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