Comedy vs. Joke — What's the Difference?

A professional form of entertainment that induces laughter, especially a play or movie.

Something said or done to provoke laughter or cause amusement.

A literary genre that is amusing and satirical in its tone, mostly having a cheerful ending.

Something that is not serious or of real value that is treated as though it is.

A humorous or satirical mimicry; a comical act or show.

A short story or ironic depiction of a situation communicated with the intent of being humorous.

The comic element of drama, of literature generally, or of life.

A playful remark or act.

Comedy (from the Greek: κωμῳδία, kōmōdía) is a genre of fiction comprised of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term originated in Ancient Greece: in Athenian democracy, the public opinion of voters was influenced by political satire performed by comic poets in theaters.

A joke is a display of humour in which words are used within a specific and well-defined narrative structure to make people laugh and is usually not meant to be taken seriously. It takes the form of a story, usually with dialogue, and ends in a punch line.

Professional entertainment consisting of jokes and sketches, intended to make an audience laugh

Something said or done to evoke laughter or amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line.

A play characterized by its humorous or satirical tone and its depiction of amusing people or incidents, in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity

A mischievous trick; a prank

A dramatic work that is light and often humorous or satirical in tone and that usually contains a happy resolution of the thematic conflict.

Something that is of ludicrously poor quality

The genre made up of such works.

Something not to be taken seriously; a triviality

A literary or cinematic work of a comic nature or that uses the themes or methods of comedy.

An object of amusement or laughter; a laughingstock

Popular entertainment composed of jokes, satire, or humorous performance.

To tell or play jokes; jest.

The art of composing or performing comedy.

To speak in fun; be facetious

A humorous element of life or literature

To say or write as a joke.

A humorous occurrence.

An amusing story.

A choric song of celebration or revel, especially in Ancient Greece.

Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.

(countable) A light, amusing play with a happy ending.

(figuratively) The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one

A narrative poem with an agreeable ending (e.g., The Divine Comedy).

(figuratively) A laughably worthless thing or person; a sham.

A dramatic work that is light and humorous or satirical in tone.

(figuratively) Something that is far easier or far less challenging than expected.

(drama) The genre of such works.

(intransitive) To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.

(uncountable) Entertainment composed of jokes, satire, or humorous performance.

(intransitive, followed by with) To dupe in a friendly manner for amusement; to mess with, play with.

The art of composing comedy.

To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.

(countable) A humorous event.

Something said for the sake of exciting a laugh; something witty or sportive (commonly indicating more of hilarity or humor than jest); a jest; a witticism; as, to crack good-natured jokes.

A dramatic composition, or representation of a bright and amusing character, based upon the foibles of individuals, the manners of society, or the ludicrous events or accidents of life; a play in which mirth predominates and the termination of the plot is happy; - opposed to tragedy.

Something not said seriously, or not actually meant; something done in sport.

Light and humorous drama with a happy ending

To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally; to banter; as, to joke a comrade.

A comic incident or series of incidents

To do something for sport, or as a joke; to be merry in words or actions; to jest.

Any discourse or work generally intended to be humorous or to amuse by inducing laughter.

A humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter;

Activity characterized by good humor

A ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement

A triviality not to be taken seriously;

Tell a joke; speak humorously;

Act in a funny or teasing way

A thing that someone says to cause amusement or laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline.

Yes, sometimes jokes can be unintentional when a situation or remark is perceived as funny by others.

Many comedies aim for a cheerful or satisfactory conclusion, but it’s not a strict rule.

A joke is a brief and humorous statement or story with a punchline meant to provoke laughter.

People have different senses of humor, and cultural or personal differences can affect how a joke is received.

A comedy is a genre of entertainment designed to amuse and typically features a narrative structure with characters and a plot.

A joke can be part of a comedy but is not a comedy in itself, as it lacks the narrative and structure of the genre.

Comedies aim to be funny, but humor is subjective, so not everyone may find a particular comedy humorous.

Slapstick is a physical form of comedy, not a joke; it involves exaggerated physical actions.

Yes, there are many types, including one-liners, knock-knock jokes, and puns, among others.

Yes, jokes can sometimes be offensive, depending on the content and the audience’s sensibilities.

Satire is a sub-genre of comedy that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to criticize or mock.

Timing is crucial in both; it helps in the delivery of humor and can impact the effectiveness of a joke or comedic scene.

Yes, many comedies are inspired by real-life events or situations.

Yes, a dramedy is a genre that combines elements of drama and comedy.

In theory, yes, but in practice, the context, audience, and sensitivity of the subject matter play significant roles.