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

Synonyms of one-liner

• joke
• laugh
• joking

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

Parton was a master at meeting wisecracks about her shapely figure with her own one-liners. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Though Sex and the City ended two entire decades ago, many of her most valuable life lessons—usually delivered via purring, zingy one-liners, either with a dirty martini in one hand or while waving a fork over brunch—feel just as relevant today. — Daisy Jones, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2026

Like many presidents, his one-liners were often meant to defuse crises. — John Blumenthal, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

And with never-ending layoffs, dystopian mergers, and Hollywood as a production desert, ’26 didn’t lend itself to snappy one-liners. — Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for one-liner

• airliner
• combiner
• designer
• diviner
• eyeliner
• headliner
• pulvinar
• recliner
• refiner
• diner
• finer
• liner