one-liner

noun

one-lin·​er ˌwən-ˈlī-nər How to pronounce one-liner (audio)
Synonyms of one-linernext
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
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.
Still, the film has its rewards, mostly of the unsophisticated kind, since the fight sequences come fast and furious and the cheesy dialogue has enough groan-worthy one-liners to inspire a thousand drinking games. Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026 In the end, the reporter came to the conclusion that the one-liners were Monroe’s own, a judgment backed up by an anonymous Fox press agent who had been one of the main liaisons between Monroe and the studio. Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 His one-liners were truly not to be believed. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026 The best reality shows—every Bravo franchise, The Kardashians, Dance Moms—are anthropological studies with campy one-liners, life blown up to exaggerated proportions. Daisy Jones, Vogue, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for one-liner

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-liner was in 1962

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“One-liner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-liner. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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