as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
the senator deftly inserted some smart one-liners into an otherwise sober speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of one-liners
At home alone and dressed only in a lavalava (traditional wrap skirt), Jonny manages to guzzle down a beer and crack zingy one-liners while dispatching a quartet of Yakuza goons who’ve come looking for a package sent to him by his father, Walter (Brian Keaulana).
—
Richard Kuipers, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Some films linger in our minds because of their sharp plots, quotable one-liners and unforgettable characters.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
But some of her most brutal one-liners came at the expense of the cast of Paul Thomas Anderson's celebrated One Battle After Another.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
Wet Leg had jagged one-liners as good as their jagged songs.
—Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
But certain quotes and one-liners stuck out for their candor and insight.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Dec. 2025
Others kept the joke rolling with quick one-liners of their own.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
Schwarzenegger delivers his trademark late 80s action and some truly iconic one-liners as Quaid uncovers a corporate conspiracy and battles against an array of villains, including his fake wife.
—Ian Stokes, Space.com, 26 Nov. 2025
Frank DiPalermo gets some great one-liners as Bernie, the lonely homeowner who dotes on his pampered Pomeranian, Sophia.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025
Richard Kuipers, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Some films linger in our minds because of their sharp plots, quotable one-liners and unforgettable characters.
—Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
But some of her most brutal one-liners came at the expense of the cast of Paul Thomas Anderson's celebrated One Battle After Another.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
Wet Leg had jagged one-liners as good as their jagged songs.
—Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
But certain quotes and one-liners stuck out for their candor and insight.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Dec. 2025
Others kept the joke rolling with quick one-liners of their own.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
Schwarzenegger delivers his trademark late 80s action and some truly iconic one-liners as Quaid uncovers a corporate conspiracy and battles against an array of villains, including his fake wife.
—Ian Stokes, Space.com, 26 Nov. 2025
Frank DiPalermo gets some great one-liners as Bernie, the lonely homeowner who dotes on his pampered Pomeranian, Sophia.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for one-liners
Noun
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Williams plays his colleague Gaby, best friend to his dead wife and a ball of passion and dirty jokes.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
26 Jan. 2026
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That’s a compliment, of course, as these are very, very funny jokes.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Not all of the jokes work, but even the grumpiest theatergoers will find plenty of laughs.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
7 Jan. 2026
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But the comedians also used those laughs to reveal the fundamental absurdity of violence and conflict.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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During Bloomberg’s pursuit of office, a 1990 booklet in which business colleagues had compiled his witticisms surfaced.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
1 Jan. 2026
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Perhaps the only thing Gore Vidal enjoyed more than dispensing witticisms—or sipping a Macallan single malt—was being photographed.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“One-liners.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/one-liners. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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