Meaning & use

joke

noun·Everyday

Something said or done to cause amusement or laughter, such as a short funny story.

See it in a sentence

He told a joke that made the whole classroom burst out laughing.

Losing his job wasn't a joke to him, even though he tried to laugh it off.

A note on using this word

"Joke" can also describe something so poor or absurd it seems laughable, as in "the service was a complete joke."

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

To say something intended to be funny, or to speak without being serious.

Stop joking around and help me finish this important project on time.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “joke”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.