# straight man

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/straight-man
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A member (of any gender) of a team of comic performers who plays a supporting role by helping to set up jokes and punch lines through engaging in dialog with another comedian playing a more eccentric or otherwise more interesting character; a foil who plays such a role in theatrical comedy.

## Examples

- He plays the straight man to his funny partner.
- The comedian told wild stories while his partner acted as the straight man to keep the act grounded.
- By serving as the straight man, the actor allowed the lead performer to shine while maintaining the necessary structure for their comedic dialogue.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.