joker

noun

ˈjō-kər How to pronounce joker (audio)
Definition of jokernext
1
as in comedian
a person (as a writer) noted for or specializing in humor he's the joker of the family, always making us laugh

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2
as in clown
a person whose behavior is offensive to others just ignore that joker and his rude comments

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in guy
an adult male human being sat at the bar next to some poor joker who had just lost his job

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4
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized read the contract carefully before signing to make sure there aren't any jokers

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of joker Arnetra and her sister, Akiva, described Darius as a joker, always striving to bring joy to those around him. — Maveah Griffith, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026 David May was the joker in the team; Paul Scholes was the silent assassin, sat there at the back, throwing comments. — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 31 July 2026 Clooney might be known as the joker of the two. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026 Like any public hearing, there were a few jokers who had some strange outbursts, but the majority of the over a dozen speakers weren’t satisfied with Gower’s presentation and used their times to ask questions of the owners as to what has taken so long with this project. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for joker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joker
  1. comedian
  2. clown
  3. guy
  4. hitch
  5. jerk
  6. male
  7. risk
  8. dog
Noun
  • The phone-comedy discussion followed a scene in which Julie Kessler and Billy Epstein, the proudly embittered struggling comedians played by Klausner and Eichner, confront an up-and-coming digital creator.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Directed by comedian Jeremiah Watkins, who produced alongside Miles Williams, the special was filmed at The Alex Theater in Assadourian’s hometown of Glendale, CA.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of comedian
Noun
  • Rather than deescalating, Gabela yelled at Corben, calling him a clown.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Yusef Toubassi sits with his grandson Masa, looking on as children run by with cheeks painted bright colors and others howling with joy as clowns spin them around.
    — Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • That is true about every single person around it, including Carmella’s children, the hot dog man, and the guy in the ice cream truck who only wears Phish T-shirts and bathes on Wednesdays.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The team has invested too much in Joe Milton III and Sam Howell to let either guy walk.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of guy
Noun
  • The only hitch was that the move to Juventus broke down, leaving Suzuki and Martinez in the same squad.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Wang hopes that SharkNinja will continue to ease American consumer friction long into the future, and that his Chinese nationality won’t be a hitch.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of hitch
Noun
  • In Show Must Go On, the comedian embraces his own compassion by pretending to be a jerk.
    — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • Most of the people who sell their plasma tend to be under 35, unemployed, without a college degree, Black and male, according to a 2021 study based on two proprietary national surveys conducted between 2018 and 2021.
    — CNN Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Cox, a biological male who identifies as a woman, is facing a slew of charges in Arlington County for entering female locker rooms at local schools and recreation centers.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of male
Noun
  • Analysts warn that beyond crowded positioning and technical pullbacks, fundamental risks within the AI supply chain may also be emerging.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • States alleged that Meta’s internal research documented links between Instagram use and harms including depression, anxiety and body-image concerns among young people, while the company publicly minimized or concealed those risks.
    — Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of risk
Noun
  • The Perk That Actually Works For years, companies have competed to fill their offices with amenities meant to signal ambition—ping pong tables, nap rooms, office dogs, sprawling lounges.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities are using divers, dogs, sonar and other types of technologies to scour the area for Karen Solomon, Saucier said.
    — Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog

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Cite this Entry

“Joker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joker. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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