one-liner
noun
one-lin·er
ˌwən-ˈlī-nər 
1
: a very succinct joke or witticism
2
: a succinct or meaningful and especially accurate statement
Examples of one-liner in a Sentence
the senator deftly inserted some smart one-liners into an otherwise sober speech
Recent Examples on the Web
The resounding response to Irving’s leadership this season has been one of gratitude, for his vocal communication during games and his encouraging one-liners.
—
Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 2026
Cohen’s work helped reveal that, in the three-billion-letter book that is our genome, even obscure one-liners can be an important part of the story.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Tensions notably come to a head between Bennie and his sister-in-law, Lucretia (a game Wanda Sykes), because of his past infidelity, which provides some of the sitcom's funniest moments via razor-sharp one-liner wars.
—Andrew Walsh, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Apr. 2026
Fret not, the sequel to the 2023 Super Mario Bros movie is here with a plethora of new one-liners for kids to repeat without end.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for one-liner
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Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 7 Apr. 2026
Cohen’s work helped reveal that, in the three-billion-letter book that is our genome, even obscure one-liners can be an important part of the story.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Tensions notably come to a head between Bennie and his sister-in-law, Lucretia (a game Wanda Sykes), because of his past infidelity, which provides some of the sitcom's funniest moments via razor-sharp one-liner wars.
—Andrew Walsh, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Apr. 2026
Fret not, the sequel to the 2023 Super Mario Bros movie is here with a plethora of new one-liners for kids to repeat without end.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for one-liner
Cite this Entry
“One-liner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-liner. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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