# pun

/ˈpən/ (US) · /pˈʌn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pun
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a play on words

noun · CEFR B1

a joke that uses a word with two meanings, or two words that sound the same, to be funny.

For teachers: a humorous use of a word or phrase that has several meanings, or that sounds like another word with a different meaning.

- The baker's joke about needing more dough was a clever pun.
- While some find puns to be the lowest form of wit, others appreciate the linguistic dexterity required to construct a truly seamless play on words.

### 2. to make a wordplay joke

verb · CEFR B2

to make a joke using words that sound the same.

For teachers: to make a pun or to use wordplay for humorous effect. Intransitive use.

- He couldn't help but pun about the rainy weather during the garden party.
- The playwright was known to pun incessantly, often weaving complex linguistic traps into the dialogue of his most comedic characters.

## Examples

- He told a pun about a broken pencil.
- The comedian ended his set with a pun that made the audience groan and laugh at the same time.
- Shakespeare frequently employed puns to add layers of meaning and wit to his characters' 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.