Synonyms of joke

joke 1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈjōk 

1

as in laugh

something said or done to cause laughter

he was known for his hilarious jokes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• laugh
• joking
• giggle
• gag
• funny
• wisecrack
• witticism
• jape
• quip
• prank
• one-liner
• pleasantry
• scream
• yuck
• jest
• rib
• yak
• drollery
• parody
• boffo
• yock
• josh
• sally
• waggery
• yuk
• crack
• nifty
• comedy
• humorousness
• trick
• humor
• boff
• riot
• funning
• kidding
• buffoonery
• mock
• mockery
• practical joke
• banter
• wisecracking
• leg-pull
• caper
• panic
• knee-slapper
• riff
• boffola
• caricature
• antic
• burlesque
• lampoon
• funniness
• put-on
• raillery
• hilariousness
• repartee
• persiflage
• wordplay
• facetiousness
• drollness
• wit
• thigh-slapper
• monkeyshine(s)

2

as in parody

a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something

her rendition of the national anthem is a joke

Synonyms & Similar Words

• parody
• caricature
• sham
• cartoon
• farce
• mockery
• hoax
• comedy
• travesty
• simulation
• burlesque
• pretense
• pretence
• counterfeit
• forgery
• fake
• takeoff
• lampoon
• phoney
• phony
• humbug
• knockoff
• feigning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tribute
• homage

3

as in fool

a person or thing that is made fun of

having lost his looks and his voice years ago, these days he's just a show business joke and fodder for late-night comedy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fool
• target
• mock
• mockery
• victim
• butt
• jest
• derision
• sport
• laughingstock
• mark
• sucker
• monkey
• pigeon
• gull
• chump
• dupe
• sap
• fall guy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• favorite
• pet
• darling

joke

2 of 5

verb (1)

1

as in to fun

to make jokes

he was known for his ability to joke about his lack of anything resembling a social life

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fun
• kid
• tease
• jest
• quip
• fool
• amuse
• mock
• banter
• jolly
• gag
• parody
• wisecrack
• jape
• yuck
• ridicule
• entertain
• crack wise
• jive
• jibe
• rag
• rally
• yuk
• josh
• jeer
• chaff
• caricature
• rib
• satirize
• gibe
• razz
• lampoon
• haze
• divert

2

as in to tease

to make fun of in a good-natured way

oh, don't get offended, I was just joking you

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tease
• kid
• roast
• razz
• rib
• jive
• rally
• fun
• banter
• ride
• josh
• take the mickey out of
• chaff
• goof on
• jest
• fool
• quip
• wisecrack
• gag
• string along
• jolly
• jape
• yuck
• yuk

joking

3 of 5

adjective

as in kidding

marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing

grinned and gave him a joking nudge with my elbow

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kidding
• sarcastic
• jesting
• bantering
• joshing
• razzing
• mocking
• quizzical
• fooling
• ribbing
• rallying
• funning
• chaffing
• ridiculing
• derisive
• taunting
• baiting
• heckling
• quipping
• jeering
• needling
• bandying
• contemptuous
• derisory
• scornful
• deriding
• hassling
• disdainful

joking

4 of 5

noun (2)

as in jesting

Synonyms & Similar Words

• jesting
• funning
• nonsense
• hijinks
• clowning
• tomfoolery
• horseplay
• buffoonery
• childishness
• skylarking
• roughhousing
• foolishness
• clownishness
• silliness
• high jinks
• monkeying
• monkey business
• clownery
• slapstick
• roughhouse
• foolery
• horsing around
• shenanigan(s)
• waggery
• deviltry
• monkeyshine(s)
• boisterousness
• rowdiness
• rowdyism
• trickery
• rambunctiousness
• roguishness
• frivolity
• playfulness
• rumbustiousness
• prankishness
• rascality
• frolicking
• merrymaking
• gambolling
• revelry
• cavorting
• mischievousness
• sporting
• romping
• mischief
• impishness
• devilry
• roistering
• roguery
• gamboling
• knavery
• sportiveness

joking

5 of 5

verb (2)

present participle of joke

1

as in funning

to make jokes

he was known for his ability to joke about his lack of anything resembling a social life

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kidding
• funning
• teasing
• jesting
• amusing
• mocking
• bantering
• quipping
• fooling
• joshing
• jollying
• wisecracking
• yucking
• yukking
• jiving
• ridiculing
• entertaining
• chaffing
• japing
• gagging
• jeering
• ribbing
• razzing
• parodying
• cracking wise
• rallying
• ragging
• hazing
• satirizing
• jibing
• caricaturing
• lampooning
• gibing
• diverting

2

as in teasing

to make fun of in a good-natured way

oh, don't get offended, I was just joking you

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kidding
• teasing
• razzing
• joshing
• ribbing
• roasting
• jiving
• chaffing
• bantering
• riding
• jesting
• rallying
• goofing on
• funning
• taking the mickey out of
• fooling
• quipping
• wisecracking
• stringing along
• jollying
• yucking
• yukking
• japing
• gagging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of joke

Noun

The jokes start rolling on Sept. 14 from Los Angeles' Peacock Theater. —Erin Jensen, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025

While the boyfriend's song choices leaned more towards expressing need than outright jokes, his methods could be interpreted humorously to signal his desire for connection and maintain intimacy within his long-term relationship. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025

Verb

The scene cuts to a confessional, where the Good American founder jokes that Scott should have been more careful while filming the past scene. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025

To some observers, the incessant joking was the sort of heartless mirth that social media had been running on for decades. —Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025

Verb

Fans took to the comment section, joking about the billionaire and the Masked Singer host's baby-making competition. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025

Hoffman is only joking, of course. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025

Phrases Containing joke

• practical joke