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
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Now the joke was that this was Paul and Michelle’s last chance to hang out with their friends for the next eighteen years, and the promise was that everyone would be home by five.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
According to these sources, regardless of previous misreporting (or joking by cast and/or crew), there was never an NC-17 (or a Skarsgård) cut of the film.
—Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joke
Noun
There are some jokes that some might read as saucy and some dance moves that are as indebted to pop concept tours as Broadway.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Now the joke was that this was Paul and Michelle’s last chance to hang out with their friends for the next eighteen years, and the promise was that everyone would be home by five.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
The unusual survival of the snack soon sparked reactions online, with many commentators joking about the resilience of the popular cheese puffs.
—Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
According to these sources, regardless of previous misreporting (or joking by cast and/or crew), there was never an NC-17 (or a Skarsgård) cut of the film.
—Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joke
Noun
-
Bauers clearly hit the base square in the middle, and the call was quickly overturned, leading to laughs from both managers, the Rays’ Kevin Cash and the Brewers’ Pat Murphy.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Write a quick Easter joke on a sheet of paper and include it in your kids' lunch boxes the week of Easter for a sweet midday laugh, caption an Instagram post, or leave some surprise puns inside Easter eggs at the hunt.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
American Vandal is a true-crime parody that sees two teenagers investigate juvenile offenses like graffiti with all the seriousness of Making a Murderer.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Apr. 2026
-
From 2010 to 2015, Freeman starred in the parody reality show Pretty the Series as Ribina Champagne.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And what kind of fool would write such an article?—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Start with a pastel pink French tip, then treat each nail as a canvas for delicate swan art (or opt for stickers for a fool-proof DIY).—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The actors teased their big comeback via social media.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
5 Apr. 2026
-
At the 2024 Grammys, Beyoncé teased her eighth studio album with a tip of her cowboy hat as the two struck a pose at their table.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There was none of the usual laughing and joking.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
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
Noun
-
As written on the page, Beth mostly feels like a caricature.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
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While some celebrants have greeted these caricatures with cathartic jeers and sneers, others are shocked and outraged.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During setup, the app recommended a daily calorie target based on my goal and activity level.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
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That marked the only goal for Boise despite controlling 68% of the possession and putting six shots on target to Spokane’s two.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Both kids cheer and bite into their burgers.—
Fortesa Latifi,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2026
-
As previously mentioned, Meevee targets a preschool audience — specifically kids two to six — pretty much the only ages parents can (and should) be in sole control of their children’s screen time anyway.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joke. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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