joke

¹joke

noun \ˈjōk\

Definition of JOKE

1

a : something said or done to provoke laughter; especially : a brief oral narrative with a climactic humorous twist b (1) : the humorous or ridiculous element in something (2) : an instance of jesting : kidding <can't take a joke> c : practical joke d : laughingstock

2

: something not to be taken seriously : a trifling matter <consider his skiing a joke — Harold Callender> —often used in negative constructions <it is no joke to be lost in the desert>

Examples of JOKE

1. She meant it as a joke, but many people took her seriously.
2. They played a harmless joke on him.
3. They are always making jokes about his car.
4. I heard a funny joke yesterday.
5. the punch line of a joke
6. I didn't get the joke.
7. That exam was a joke.
8. Their product became a joke in the industry.
9. He's in danger of becoming a national joke.

Origin of JOKE

Latin jocus; perhaps akin to Old High German gehan to say, Sanskrit yācati he asks

First Known Use: 1670

Related to JOKE

Synonyms: boff (or boffo), boffola, crack, drollery, funny, gag, giggle [chiefly British], jape, jest, josh, laugh, nifty, one-liner, pleasantry, quip, rib, sally, waggery, wisecrack, witticism, yuk (or yuck also yak or yock) [slang]

Related Words: funning, joking, wisecracking; knee-slapper, panic [slang], riot, scream, thigh-slapper; antic, buffoonery, caper, leg-pull, monkeyshine(s), practical joke, prank, trick; burlesque, caricature, lampoon, mock, mockery, parody, put-on, riff; banter, kidding, persiflage, raillery, repartee; drollness, facetiousness, funniness, hilariousness, humorousness; comedy, humor, wit, wordplay

Near Antonyms: homage, tribute

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with JOKE

bloke, broke, choke, cloak, coke, croak, folk, hoke, moke, oak, poke, Polk, roque, smoke, soak, soke, spoke, stoke, stroke, toke, toque, yogh, yoke, yolk