as in laughs
someone or something that is very funny
the movie is a real knee-slapper if you are a fan of lowbrow humor
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Recent Examples of knee-slappers
On dinner tables frequented by Brussels sprouts, meatloaf is the well-meaning uncle whose knee-slappers are beloved, but not particularly hip.
—
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knee-slappers
Noun
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There are some laughs that are pretty regular, consistent.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
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For Marlon Wayans, comedy isn’t simply about the laughs.—
Datwon Thomas,
VIBE.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Their hoots and hollers drowned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s explanation of how a title defense fell short.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
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Wiseman said to hoots from the crowd of media gathered at the site.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Once seated, the crowd roared each time a member of the cast walked in, with the biggest screams by far going not to Anderson or co-star Assad Zaman but Eric Bogosian, who at 73 plays the youngest vampire of the season, Daniel Molloy.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
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Literature, in his view, was a susurrus of stifled screams, a missive from the netherworld of the collective imaginary.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
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The riots ended after over 3,500 national troops cleared the streets.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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Johnson also was a key figure in the Stonewall Inn riots.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Often the jokes are tied to an upcoming holiday or event.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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The Tribeca Film Festival has publicly condemned jokes made on the red carpet at the premiere of The Wedding Entertainer (The Tale of Moishe Badhan).—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knee-slappers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knee-slappers. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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