dad joke
4 synonyms for dad joke, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A short, obvious joke, usually a pun, that is groan-inducing rather than genuinely funny and is told with complete confidence.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
groaner
corny joke
How to use dad joke
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
tell a dad joke
a terrible dad joke
dad joke energy
peak dad joke
Informal and affectionate; not an insult.
Etymology
A compound of dad and joke, from the stereotype of a father telling unembarrassed puns to his children.
Full origin of dad joke →Frequently asked questions
What makes a joke a dad joke?
Three things: it is usually a pun or a deliberate misreading of what someone just said, it is delivered without any shame, and the intended reaction is a groan rather than a laugh. The teller does not need to be a father.
What is the difference between a dad joke and a pun?
A pun is any wordplay on two meanings or sounds. A dad joke is a pun told in a particular social way — unprompted, to a captive audience, and with visible pride in how bad it is.
Are dad jokes actually funny?
That is rather the point. The humour comes from the reaction and the teller's delight in causing it, not from the joke itself, which is why dad jokes work in families and fall flat in stand-up unless the comedian plays up the same self-satisfaction.
