1
as in laughs
something said or done to cause laughter
he was known for his hilarious jokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in parodies
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 fools
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in kids
to make jokes
he was known for his ability to joke about his lack of anything resembling a social life
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in teases
to make fun of in a good-natured way
oh, don't get offended, I was just joking you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jokes
Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2025
Start by complimenting their service or product, and feel free to crack jokes and make small talk with the rep.
—Rose Han, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Are writers withholding their best jokes?
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
The is-Trump-dead chatter felt all-consuming on Friday night, with people sharing jokes and memes of people dancing on a grave that didn’t actually exist.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Considering the loss, UNC might have to come back in a big way in their next outing to ensure the jokes stop flying.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Wilkins really offers a masterclass in the comedic merits of just slightly underplaying to make the jokes land, writes Tribune theater critic Chris Jones.
—Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Yes, Rosie likes to crack punny jokes.
—Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025
He was removed from the cast shortly afterward when his past anti-Chinese and anti-gay jokes resurfaced, none of which mentioned Yang.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2025
Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Speaking to Variety from his home in the mountains of Idaho, Glenn jokes about the world-spanning nature of the nomination.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 18 Aug. 2025
At one point, Anya jokes that October 2021 will seem like paradise to them a few years down the road.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
Noun
Cardi’s jokes and swagger never clock out.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2025
Start by complimenting their service or product, and feel free to crack jokes and make small talk with the rep.
—Rose Han, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Are writers withholding their best jokes?
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
The is-Trump-dead chatter felt all-consuming on Friday night, with people sharing jokes and memes of people dancing on a grave that didn’t actually exist.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Considering the loss, UNC might have to come back in a big way in their next outing to ensure the jokes stop flying.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Wilkins really offers a masterclass in the comedic merits of just slightly underplaying to make the jokes land, writes Tribune theater critic Chris Jones.
—Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Yes, Rosie likes to crack punny jokes.
—Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025
He was removed from the cast shortly afterward when his past anti-Chinese and anti-gay jokes resurfaced, none of which mentioned Yang.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
Hughes jokes that Excel might be his biggest competitor, because many local authorities still rely on elaborate spreadsheets built on institutional knowledge and heuristics.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Speaking to Variety from his home in the mountains of Idaho, Glenn jokes about the world-spanning nature of the nomination.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 18 Aug. 2025
At one point, Anya jokes that October 2021 will seem like paradise to them a few years down the road.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jokes
Noun
-
Journalists, as a result, will have no trouble recognizing themselves in The Paper, which captures the quirks, jargon, and inside jokes of newsroom life while still delivering plenty of laughs amid the chaos.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The laughs here are as dry as a cough post-bronchitis.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Kaufman and Herz co-founded Troma Entertainment in 1974, which has produced or distributed more than 1,000 low-budget parodies in the past five decades, including the original Toxic Avenger movie in 1984.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
South Park, formerly the edgelord-iest of edgelord TV, continues to barrel through parodies of the current conservative Zeitgeist.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The men largely act like fools in Splitsville.—
Nigel Smith,
People.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Witty, observant, and unwilling to suffer fools, Elizabeth Bennet is the original challenger brand.—
Ann Kowal Smith,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
There’s also never really a good explanation for why the population of campers has dwindled, beyond Charlie Brown telling Sally that kids her age just want to watch TV instead of heading outdoors for fun.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
While fans of the whodunit franchise have a couple of months to go before finally getting some answers, the first trailer for Wake Up Dead Man teases much of the fun to come — including the identity of the latest murder victim.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Rosenfield, also the author of books like 2021’s No One Will Miss Her, teases that the novel is perfect for thriller fans craving something more.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Packed with visual gags and a cast of gifted comedic actors, Maddie’s Secret straddles the line between comedy and melodrama, creating a wholly unique cinematic experience.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The humor, much like its source material, tries to be as delightfully zany as possible, packed with slapstick gags for kids and sly meta jokes for parents.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The rapport between these two veteran actors turn what could have been seriously dodgy caricatures into a first-rate double act — think Abbott and Costello with sidecurls and silencers.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Aug. 2025
-
The Sex Lives of College Girls took an honorable stab, but the characters can feel like caricatures.—
Nikki Sternberg,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
First-round rookie Colston Loveland should see ample targets from the second-year Williams.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
In previous years, attacks on energy targets have intensified in the run up to and during winter.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jokes. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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