Meaning & use
poke fun at
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiom
to make gentle jokes about someone or something in a friendly, not cruel, way
Grammar: It is a fixed phrase followed by an object: poke fun at someone or something.
Patterns
- poke fun at someone
- poke fun at something
- poke fun at someone for something
The students poked fun at their teacher's old-fashioned tie, but he laughed too.
It's okay to poke fun at yourself sometimes; it shows confidence.
The article pokes fun at modern art, but in a loving way.
Common combinations
- poke fun at someone
- They often poke fun at their little brother.
- poke fun at a serious subject
- Comedians sometimes poke fun at serious subjects.
- gently poke fun
- She gently poked fun at his cooking.
- poke fun at yourself
- He can poke fun at himself without getting upset.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tease
- Tease is a verb that can be used with or without an object, while poke fun at is a fixed phrase that always needs 'at' and an object.
- make fun of
- This is similar but often sounds more mocking or unkind than poke fun at.
- ridicule
- Ridicule is stronger and more formal, suggesting unkind laughter at someone.
Opposites
Commonly confused: poke fun at or make fun of?
poke fun at vs make fun of
Both mean to joke about someone, but 'make fun of' is usually more negative and can hurt feelings, while 'poke fun at' is often gentler.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'poke fun at' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct phrase is 'poke fun at someone or something'. Options 1, 2 and 3 use the wrong preposition or no preposition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “poke fun at”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.