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Meaning & use

poke fun

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌpəʊk ˈfʌn/
US/ˌpoʊk ˈfʌn/

Meaning

  1. phraseidiom

    to make jokes about someone or something in a playful or unkind way

    Grammar: Used with 'at': poke fun at someone or something. The verb 'poke' does not change meaning here; the whole phrase is fixed.

    Patterns

    • poke fun at someone
    • poke fun at something

    The children poked fun at his new haircut.

    It's not nice to poke fun at people's mistakes.

    The comedian poked fun at politicians.

Common combinations

poke fun at someone
They poked fun at him for wearing a tie to the beach.
poke fun at something
The show pokes fun at modern life.
poke gentle fun at
She poked gentle 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 more direct and often used for playful or annoying comments to a person; poke fun is usually gentler and often about a group or idea.
mock
Mock is stronger and more negative, suggesting you are making someone look stupid; poke fun can be light-hearted.
make fun of
Make fun of is very similar but slightly more informal and common in everyday speech; poke fun is a bit more literary or formal.

Opposites

praisecompliment

Word family

fun noun
enjoyment or amusement

Commonly confused: poke fun or make fun of?

poke fun vs make fun of

Both mean to joke about someone, but 'make fun of' is more common in everyday talk and can sound more direct; 'poke fun at' is slightly softer and often used in writing.

Practice

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