# the joke is on someone

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/the-joke-is-on-someone
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Someone is the butt of a joke or is experiencing a negative outcome, especially if that person was trying to make someone else the butt of the joke or subject them to the negative outcome.

## Examples

- He tried to trick me, but the joke is on him.
- She hid my keys to be funny, but the joke is on her because now she is late for work too.
- After the prankster accidentally locked himself inside the room he intended for his victim, he realized with dismay that the joke is on him.

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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.