# joke

/ˈdʒoʊk/ (US) · /dʒˈəʊk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/joke
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. funny story

noun · CEFR A2

a short story with a funny ending that makes people laugh.

For teachers: a brief oral or written narrative with a humorous climax or punchline.

- He told a funny joke at dinner and everyone started laughing.
- The comedian's opening joke relied on a clever play on words that immediately established a rapport with the audience.

### 2. playful act

noun · CEFR A2

something you say or do to be funny, not to be serious.

For teachers: something said or performed for amusement or mischief rather than in earnest.

- I thought it was a joke, but he was actually being serious.
- The hidden-camera show specialized in elaborate jokes designed to capture the genuine reactions of unsuspecting passersby.

### 3. something worthless

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

something that is so bad or poorly done that it is embarrassing.

For teachers: a person, thing, or situation that is laughably inadequate or lacks integrity.

- The new security system is a joke; the door doesn't even lock properly.
- Critics argued that the trial was a complete joke, citing the lack of evidence and the biased nature of the proceedings.

### 4. something very easy

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a task or activity that is much easier than you expected.

For teachers: an undertaking or challenge that proves to be trivial or effortlessly accomplished.

- After all that studying, the final exam was a total joke.
- For a professional athlete of her caliber, the local qualifying round was a joke that required little more than a warm-up effort.

### 6. to tease someone

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to trick or tease someone in a friendly way.

For teachers: to engage in lighthearted deception or teasing of another person.

- Are you joking me? There is no way we won the lottery.
- He realized his friends were joking him when they all struggled to keep a straight face while telling the tall tale.

## Examples

- He told a funny joke at dinner.
- The comedian told a joke about his childhood that made the entire audience laugh.
- While the joke relied on a clever play on words, its success was largely due to the speaker's impeccable timing and deadpan delivery.

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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.