the joke is on someone

idiom

used to describe a situation in which a person trying to make something happen to someone else (such as being tricked or embarrassed) ends up having it happen to himself or herself instead
He thought he could embarrass us, but now the joke is on him and he's the one who looks foolish.

Dictionary Entries Near the joke is on someone

Cite this Entry

“The joke is on someone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20joke%20is%20on%20someone. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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