one-liner
7 synonyms and 0 antonyms for one-liner, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A joke told in a single sentence, with the setup and the punchline packed into one line.
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.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A joke told in a single sentence, with the setup and the punchline packed into one line.
“His act is nothing but one-liners fired off at speed.”
2. noun
A short, memorable line of dialogue delivered at a dramatic moment, especially in a film.
“The film is remembered less for its plot than for one growled one-liner.”
How to Use One-Liner
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral; used freely in reviews and everyday speech.
Etymology
A compound of one and liner, a thing consisting of a single line.
Full origin of one-liner →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a one-liner and a wisecrack?
A one-liner is a constructed joke that could be written down and told by anyone. A wisecrack is a spontaneous cheeky remark that depends on the situation and usually pokes at someone who is present.
Who is famous for one-liners?
The form is closely associated with comedians such as Henny Youngman, Steven Wright, Mitch Hedberg and Tim Vine, whose acts consist largely of unconnected single-sentence jokes rather than longer stories.