1
as in laugh
something said or done to cause laughter
he was known for his hilarious jokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
her rendition of the national anthem is a joke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fool
a person or thing that is made fun of
having lost his looks and his voice years ago, these days he's just a show business joke and fodder for late-night comedy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to fun
to make jokes
he was known for his ability to joke about his lack of anything resembling a social life
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of joke
Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2026
Every character has an adorable quirk or two, or at minimum owns a dorky T-shirt with a periodic table joke or a cartoon cat.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
And Zoe Saldaña generously held a fan for her publicist before two people on her team tried to fan her at the same time, leading her to joke that her hair was going to get ruined.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joke
Noun
The difference between the applause Knight and Keller received during Storrie’s monologue versus the Hughes brothers was glaring (as was their far superior joke delivery).
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2026
Every character has an adorable quirk or two, or at minimum owns a dorky T-shirt with a periodic table joke or a cartoon cat.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
Afterward, host Conan O’Brien joked about what passed for drama at a largely uneventful evening at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
And Zoe Saldaña generously held a fan for her publicist before two people on her team tried to fan her at the same time, leading her to joke that her hair was going to get ruined.
—Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joke
Noun
-
Scott used comedy to grease the narrative wheels; here, the laughs tend to gum up the works.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The quick and confident response sparked a handful of laughs from those who have covered Lagrange’s emergence this spring.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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How did Jane Lynch wind up in the YouTube ad parodies?—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
-
People can appreciate a Marx Brothers movie like Duck Soup, which is a parody of war and a musical.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Only fools would think differently.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Who’s fool enough to tie up girls who are double jointed and flexible enough to fling their feet up to the height of a man’s neck?—
Jada Yuan,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The all-new Rivian R2, which was teased two years ago, may defy the current state of the industry, which has seen sales of EVs slump and automakers cancel upcoming models.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
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UConn got the last laugh in Philadelphia — well, at least 76ers center Andre Drummond did when the former Huskies star came over to tease fellow Sixers center and former UCLA standout Adem Bona in the waning moments.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lindsay says that Jesse was serious about asking, but that the make-out would be a joking make-out.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The women’s team declined their joking invitation and had to explain comments directed at them.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Holtz in his later years became something of a caricature, like an actor who leans into the over-the-top quirks of his role.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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Barbara isn’t a caricature but a deeply human portrait of a woman whose worldview swings wildly between moral superiority and intense self-doubt, both extremes that foreclose human connection.—
Isle McElroy,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The island, where Iran loads nearly all its oil exports, is seen as a potential target if Washington decides to hit Iranian energy or to use ground troops to seize it.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Especially when the incoming targets cost a fraction of this.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But Foley wasn’t really kidding.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
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Download a map and a donut passport or contact the donut concierge—I’m not kidding—who can customize your itinerary.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joke. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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