joke
JOHK
Joke (noun) means a short story or remark meant to make people laugh. Example: “He told a joke that had the whole table laughing.”
noun
1
A short story or remark meant to make people laugh.
"He told a joke that had the whole table laughing."
"She couldn't remember the punchline of the joke."
"My uncle always tells the same joke at family dinners."
2
Something so poor or absurd that it isn't taken seriously.
"The so-called security system was a joke."
"The referee's decision was a joke, and the whole crowd booed."
"Honestly, the waiting time at that clinic is a joke."
verb
1
To say or do something for fun rather than seriously.
"Don't worry, I was only joking about quitting."
"We joked about the weather while we waited for the bus."
"She joked that she would need a bigger suitcase for her shoes."
How to use joke
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA funny remark or story, or (informally) something laughably bad.
Common pairings
tell a joke
crack a joke
play a joke on someone
take a joke
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Word forms
- Plural
- jokes
- Third person singular
- jokes
- Past tense
- joked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He told a _____ that had the whole table laughing.
Etymology
From Latin iocus, "jest or pastime" — the same root that gave French jeu and Italian gioco.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for joke
See all rhymes for joke →Frequently asked questions
What does “joke” mean?
The word “joke” means a short story or remark meant to make people laugh. In plain terms, a funny remark or story, or (informally) something laughably bad.
How do you pronounce “joke”?
“Joke” is pronounced JOHK (/ˈd͡ʒoʊ̯k/ in IPA).
How do you use “joke” in a sentence?
Here is “joke” used in a sentence: “He told a joke that had the whole table laughing.”
What part of speech is “joke”?
Depending on how it is used, “joke” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “joke” come from?
The word “joke” comes from Latin. From Latin iocus, "jest or pastime" — the same root that gave French jeu and Italian gioco.
Is “joke” a common word?
“Joke” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “joke” have?
“Joke” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a short story or remark meant to make people laugh.
What are the different types of jokes?
Jokes come in many forms. One-liners land a laugh in a single sentence; knock-knock jokes follow a set call-and-response; and puns play on words with similar sounds. There are also observational jokes about everyday life, riddles with a funny answer, and longer story jokes that build to a punchline.
What is the difference between a joke and a pun?
A joke is any short story or remark meant to make people laugh. A pun is one specific technique within humor: a play on words that exploits two meanings or similar sounds, like "time flies like an arrow." Every pun can be a joke, but most jokes rely on more than wordplay.
What makes a joke funny?
Most jokes work through surprise: they set up an expectation, then a punchline suddenly twists it in an unexpected direction. Good timing, a relatable subject, and playful use of language all help. Because humor is personal and cultural, the same joke can delight one listener and fall flat with another.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing joke in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
The daily joke is one of the oldest formats in print — newspapers ran one long before the internet did, and the appeal is unchanged.
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