Joke Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Published on March 8, 2024
A joke is a story, statement, or question intended to provoke laughter or amusement. e.g., He told a joke that made everyone at the table laugh.
Table of Contents
Joke Definitions
A humorous or amusing story or remark with a punchline.
The comedian's joke about squirrels was unexpectedly funny.
To say something in jest or fun, often not meant to be taken seriously.
She joked about being able to sleep for days.
To perform or behave in a way that is meant to amuse others.
He's always joking to lighten the mood.
Something said or done to provoke laughter or amusement.
His impersonation of the teacher was a harmless joke.
To make playful or humorous remarks.
They joked with each other to pass the time during the long journey.
A trick or deception intended to be funny.
The whoopee cushion was a classic joke among friends.
To act in a playful or humorous way.
Stop joking around and get serious for a moment.
An amusing or laughable situation.
The mix-up at the costume party turned into quite the joke.
To make fun of someone or something in a light-hearted way.
They often joked about their shared dislike of cold weather.
Something not to be taken seriously; a matter of little importance or significance.
He said his attempt at cooking was just a joke.
Something said or done to evoke laughter or amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line.
A mischievous trick; a prank
Played a joke on his roommate.
Something that is of ludicrously poor quality
Their delivery service is a joke.
Something not to be taken seriously; a triviality
The accident was no joke.
An object of amusement or laughter; a laughingstock
His loud tie was the joke of the office.
To tell or play jokes; jest.
To speak in fun; be facetious
You have to be joking.
To say or write as a joke.
An amusing story.
Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.
It was a joke!
(figuratively) The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one
(figuratively) A laughably worthless thing or person; a sham.
Your effort at cleaning your room is a joke.
The president was a joke.
(figuratively) Something that is far easier or far less challenging than expected.
The final exam was a joke.
(intransitive) To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.
I didn’t mean what I said — I was only joking.
(intransitive, followed by with) To dupe in a friendly manner for amusement; to mess with, play with.
Relax, man, I'm just joking with you.
To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.
To joke a comrade
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.
And gentle dullness ever loves a joke.
Or witty joke our airy senses movesTo pleasant laughter.
Something not said seriously, or not actually meant; something done in sport.
Inclose whole downs in walls, 't is all a joke.
To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally; to banter; as, to joke a comrade.
To do something for sport, or as a joke; to be merry in words or actions; to jest.
He laughed, shouted, joked, and swore.
A humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter;
He told a very funny joke
He knows a million gags
Thanks for the laugh
He laughed unpleasantly at hisown jest
Even a schoolboy's jape is supposed to have some ascertainable point
Activity characterized by good humor
A ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement
A triviality not to be taken seriously;
I regarded his campaign for mayor as a joke
Tell a joke; speak humorously;
He often jokes even when he appears serious
Act in a funny or teasing way
Joke Snonyms
Quip
A witty remark.
She responded with a clever quip.
Prank
A practical joke or mischievous act.
The students planned a prank for April Fool's Day.
Pun
A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word.
He loved making puns, even if they made others groan.
Gag
A trick or practical joke.
He played a gag on his roommate.
Jest
A thing said or done for amusement; a joke.
His comment was meant in jest.
Witticism
A witty remark.
His speech was full of amusing witticisms.
Banter
The playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.
There was a lot of banter during the game.
Jape
A practical joke.
They pulled a jape by switching the signs on the doors.
Rib
To tease or joke with someone in a playful way.
They ribbed him about his fashion sense.
Wisecrack
A clever and pithy spoken remark.
He's known for his quick wisecracks.
Joke Idioms & Phrases
The joke is on someone
The person intended to trick others becomes the one who is fooled.
He tried to scare her, but the joke was on him when she turned around with a mask.
Joke around
To engage in playful or humorous behavior.
They spent the afternoon joking around at the beach.
No joke
Something serious, not to be laughed at.
The warning signs are no joke; they indicate real danger.
Inside joke
A joke understood only by a certain group of people.
Their laughter was due to an inside joke from their college days.
Make a joke of something
To treat something lightly or humorously.
He always makes a joke of his cooking skills.
Take a joke
To receive a joke or playful remark without being offended.
She can always take a joke, which makes her great company.
Bad joke
A joke that is poorly received or considered in poor taste.
His comment was a bad joke that offended several guests.
Get the joke
To understand the humor in something.
Not everyone got the joke, leading to some awkward silence.
Play a joke on someone
To carry out a humorous or deceptive trick on someone.
They decided to play a joke on their teacher for April Fools' Day.
Laughing no joke
An ironic or paradoxical situation where something serious is mistakenly treated as a joke.
The mix-up might seem funny, but it's no laughing joke.
Crack a joke
To tell a joke, often spontaneously.
He cracked a joke right in the middle of the meeting to ease the tension.
Kill the joke
To overexplain a joke, thereby ruining its humor.
You killed the joke by explaining it too much.
Standing joke
A joke or humorous reference that is repeatedly used within a particular group.
His punctuality, or lack thereof, became a standing joke among his friends.
Sick joke
A joke that is considered offensive or in bad taste.
Making light of such a serious matter is a sick joke.
Joke's on me
Acknowledging that one has been made the subject of a joke.
I brought the wrong book to the discussion; the joke's on me!
Just a joke
Used to clarify that something said or done was meant in humor.
Don't be mad; it was just a joke!
Joke falls flat
When a joke does not elicit the expected laughter or amusement.
His attempt at humor was a joke that fell flat.
Turn something into a joke
To make something appear foolish or not to be taken seriously.
The movie turned the classic tale into a joke.
Joke shop
A store that sells novelty items and gag gifts.
We got the whoopee cushion from a joke shop downtown.
Joke Example Sentences
They exchanged jokes to keep the atmosphere light.
They planned a joke to surprise their friend on his birthday.
He found himself the butt of the joke but took it in good stride.
She couldn't help but laugh at the joke he told.
His attempt to fix the car turned into a bit of a joke.
The joke about the talking dog was a hit at the party.
They played a harmless joke on their teacher for April Fools' Day.
The joke book was a hit with the kids at the family reunion.
They shared an inside joke that always made them laugh.
The situation was so absurd, it felt like a joke.
The joke he made about time travel left everyone confused.
Common Curiosities
How is joke used in a sentence?
"Joke" can be used as a noun to describe a humorous story or remark, or as a verb meaning to say something in jest.
Why is it called a joke?
It's called a joke because it's a form of humor or jest intended to provoke laughter or amusement, deriving from the Latin "iocus" meaning jest or joke.
What is the first form of joke?
The first form is "joke" as both a noun and a verb.
How do we divide joke into syllables?
"Joke" is a single syllable and is not divided.
What is the verb form of joke?
The verb form is "joke," with "joking" as its present participle and "joked" as its past tense and past participle.
What is the second form of joke?
The second form for the verb "joke" is "joked."
What is a stressed syllable in joke?
The entire word "joke" is stressed, as it consists of only one syllable.
What is another term for joke?
Another term for "joke" could be "jest" or "gag."
How many syllables are in joke?
There is one syllable in "joke."
What is the root word of joke?
The root word of "joke" is the Latin "iocus," meaning jest or sport.
What is the pronunciation of joke?
Joke is pronounced as /dʒoʊk/.
Is joke an abstract noun?
As a noun, "joke" can be considered abstract since it refers to a concept or idea of humor rather than a physical object.
Is joke a countable noun?
Yes, "joke" is a countable noun (e.g., several jokes).
Is joke a collective noun?
No, "joke" is not a collective noun.
Is the word joke imperative?
"Joke" can be used in the imperative form as a command or instruction, e.g., "Joke with me, not at me."
Is the word “joke” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
As a noun, "joke" can be a direct object, e.g., "She told a joke." It is not typically used as an indirect object.
What part of speech is joke?
"Joke" can be both a noun and a verb.
Is joke a noun or adjective?
"Joke" is primarily a noun but can also be used as a verb.
Is joke an adverb?
No, "joke" is not an adverb.
Is joke a vowel or consonant?
The word "joke" starts with a consonant sound.
What is the third form of joke?
The third form for the verb "joke" is also "joked."
Which conjunction is used with joke?
Conjunctions like "and" and "but" can be used with "joke," e.g., "a joke and a story" or "joke but don't offend."
What is the plural form of joke?
The plural form is "jokes."
Is joke a negative or positive word?
"Joke" is generally positive, associated with humor and laughter, but context can render it negative, such as in a "bad joke."
Is the joke term a metaphor?
"Joke" can be used metaphorically to describe something considered laughable or not to be taken seriously.
Which vowel is used before joke?
The vowel "o" is used in "joke."
Which preposition is used with joke?
Prepositions like "about" and "on" can be used with "joke," depending on the context, e.g., "a joke about something" or "joke on someone."
What is the singular form of joke?
The singular form is "joke."
What is the opposite of joke?
The opposite of a "joke" could be "seriousness" or "reality."
Is the word joke a Gerund?
No, "joke" is not a gerund. Gerunds are verbs ending in -ing that function as nouns, but "joking" could be used as a gerund.
Which determiner is used with joke?
Determiners like "a," "the," "this," "that," "some" can be used with "joke," depending on the context.
Which article is used with joke?
The articles "a" and "the" can be used with "joke," depending on whether the noun is specific or general, e.g., "tell a joke" or "the joke was on him."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
