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
As wayward posh actress Moira Rose, O’Hara’s one-liners were meme gold and earned her critical praise.
—
Dan Heching, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
These performances, which include plenty of great one-liners and physical gags but also unearth subtler shades of frustration and self-doubt, are some of my favorites of hers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
At a thousand and seventy-nine pages, Infinite Jest has become a one-liner.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
One year, countless outrageous ensembles and quippy one-liners later, viewers still can’t get enough of her.
—Colleen Kratofil, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for one-liner
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.
Dan Heching, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
These performances, which include plenty of great one-liners and physical gags but also unearth subtler shades of frustration and self-doubt, are some of my favorites of hers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
At a thousand and seventy-nine pages, Infinite Jest has become a one-liner.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
One year, countless outrageous ensembles and quippy one-liners later, viewers still can’t get enough of her.
—Colleen Kratofil, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 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 5 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
