1
as in laugh
something said or done to cause laughter
he was known for his hilarious jokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in kidding
marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing
grinned and gave him a joking nudge with my elbow
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in jesting
Related Words
1
as in funning
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 teasing
to make fun of in a good-natured way
oh, don't get offended, I was just joking you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of joke
John Tufts, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
While the themes of the mockumentary tap on real-world problems in the United States' healthcare system, the show does so with a ton of heart and belly-aching jokes.
—Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Earlier this year, former President Barack Obama joked about the existence of aliens.
—Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Written in a joking and contemptuous tone, the tweet would take on an indescribably morbid weight just five days later, when, at the behest of Governor Cláudio Castro, the Rio de Janeiro police carried out the deadliest massacre in the country’s history.
—Evandro Cruz Silva, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
But the Rockets don’t act like a fractured locker room, with players often joking around with each other.
—Varun Shankar, Houston Chronicle, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joke
Noun
April Fool's Day jokes are fun up until the person telling them becomes the punchline.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
While the themes of the mockumentary tap on real-world problems in the United States' healthcare system, the show does so with a ton of heart and belly-aching jokes.
—Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
Comedian Charlie Berens also popularized the ritual, joking that it can be broken down into recognizable steps.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Earlier this year, former President Barack Obama joked about the existence of aliens.
—Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
Harry Styles is ready to do some late-night joking.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Written in a joking and contemptuous tone, the tweet would take on an indescribably morbid weight just five days later, when, at the behest of Governor Cláudio Castro, the Rio de Janeiro police carried out the deadliest massacre in the country’s history.
—Evandro Cruz Silva, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Larson first thought Bronin was joking.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026
But the Rockets don’t act like a fractured locker room, with players often joking around with each other.
—Varun Shankar, Houston Chronicle, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joke
Adjective
-
Doncic held both arms aloft in sarcastic celebration.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
As for the time difference, Shanahan was sarcastic with his response to the San Francisco Chronicle.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Right from his beginnings with the Talking Heads, Byrne’s quizzical temperament has fueled a determination both to never resist change and to remain open to all kinds of external stimuli.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
When the film won, many in the media room at BAFTA turned to each other with a quizzical look.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joke. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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