joke 1 of 2

noun

ˈjōk How to pronounce joke (audio)
Definition of jokenext
1
as in laugh
something said or done to cause laughter he was known for his hilarious jokes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something her rendition of the national anthem is a joke

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

joke

2 of 2

verb

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

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2
as in to tease
to make fun of in a good-natured way oh, don't get offended, I was just joking you

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of joke
Noun
There’s a reason for the trope-joke about finding a stock Subaru already parked at the trail summit. — New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026 In kitchens, courtyards, bedrooms and on the streets, women shared jokes, secrets, gestures of care and moments of freedom. — Photovogue, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
Another officer jokes about the details being in a book one day. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026 Early on, the Twins joked López was the most expensive interpreter in Major League Baseball. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joke
  1. laugh
  2. parody
  3. fool
  4. kid
  5. tease
  6. joking
  7. caricature
  8. target
Noun
  • There was nothing particularly novel about the show’s premise, but the scripts were refreshingly dense with jokes, prioritizing laughs over contrived drama or seasonlong relationship arcs.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The trooper is conscious, in good spirits and able to have conversations, laugh and smile, according to Sgt.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Both shows make use of the parody defense, of course, that being the sly way for comedic artists to cash in on someone else’s intellectual property by insisting that their motives are honorably satirical.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Watch Sioux Falls’ parody on the Austin and Colin YouTube channel or visit their website.
    — Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of parody
Noun
  • But don’t let the cute style fool you—this look is super practical, too.
    — Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
  • However, reinventing Beethoven at the Bowl, doing so following Dudamel and with little rehearsal time, could easily become a fool’s errand.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fool
Verb
  • What everyday skills should kids practice before the first week of school?
    — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Running under the surface of the film is the anxiety that kids his age are lucky to secure any job, even one as low-paying and exploitative as Erika’s studio assistant.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of kid
Verb
  • Professional athletes have joked about it in the past, with even all-time NBA great LeBron James teasing at a potential college sports journey post-retirement—albeit as more of a joke than an actual plan.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The special included 27 minutes of content that revealed cinematic and gameplay scenes throughout the fictional Vice City and teases the overall narrative of the game.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of tease
Noun
  • Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of joking
Noun
  • King managed to take the suffocating history of the Indian — the treaties, the massacres, the Hollywood caricatures — and turn it into something conversational, even funny.
    — Tommy Orange, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Retailer Target pulled a children’s Halloween costume from its shelves Monday after widespread social media backlash, apologizing for selling a garment critics said evoked racist minstrel caricatures.
    — Nancy Jiang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of caricature
Noun
  • Transits are what revealed most of the more than 6,000 exoplanets now known, and Roman’s planners expect the bulge’s target-rich environment to yield on order of 100,000 more.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2026
  • As a kinetic interceptor, Seeker appears designed to physically strike its target rather than rely on a conventional air-defense warhead.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of target

Phrases Containing joke

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Cite this Entry

“Joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joke. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on joke

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about joke

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