joker

noun

ˈjō-kər How to pronounce joker (audio)
Definition of jokernext
1
as in comedian
a person (as a writer) noted for or specializing in humor he's the joker of the family, always making us laugh

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2
as in clown
a person whose behavior is offensive to others just ignore that joker and his rude comments

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in guy
an adult male human being sat at the bar next to some poor joker who had just lost his job

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4
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized read the contract carefully before signing to make sure there aren't any jokers

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of joker Arnetra and her sister, Akiva, described Darius as a joker, always striving to bring joy to those around him. — Maveah Griffith, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026 David May was the joker in the team; Paul Scholes was the silent assassin, sat there at the back, throwing comments. — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 31 July 2026 Clooney might be known as the joker of the two. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026 Like any public hearing, there were a few jokers who had some strange outbursts, but the majority of the over a dozen speakers weren’t satisfied with Gower’s presentation and used their times to ask questions of the owners as to what has taken so long with this project. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for joker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joker
  1. comedian
  2. clown
  3. guy
  4. hitch
  5. jerk
  6. male
  7. risk
  8. dog
Noun
  • Grown-up Jokes • Paul Baker’s friends include Roach, who’s played by the comedian Will Sennett.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Stand-up comedian Leanne Morgan stars as the titular character, while Johnston plays her brutally honest sister, Carol.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of comedian
Noun
  • But my favorite Tim Curry performance will always be Pennywise, the clown in Tommy Lee Wallace’s 1990 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s It, which, compared to Andy Muschietti’s mega popular pair of films, is modest, even a little lame.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Curry, who died Tuesday at 80, made a gleefully evil turn as a clown that sparked nightmares for legions of Gen X and millennial viewers that continue to haunt to this day.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • That is true about every single person around it, including Carmella’s children, the hot dog man, and the guy in the ice cream truck who only wears Phish T-shirts and bathes on Wednesdays.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The team has invested too much in Joe Milton III and Sam Howell to let either guy walk.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of guy
Noun
  • The only hitch was that the move to Juventus broke down, leaving Suzuki and Martinez in the same squad.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Wang hopes that SharkNinja will continue to ease American consumer friction long into the future, and that his Chinese nationality won’t be a hitch.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of hitch
Noun
  • The latter accidentally does happen, which leads to power struggles between the bigoted jerk and our trio of heroines.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Duffy, for his part, came across as a real jerk at times, but surprisingly charming at others, with a half-nerd, half-jock mien—sweepy hair, big glasses, a megawatt smile—that put me in mind of a Wisconsin Sam Seaborn.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • Veradermics announced positive results for its lead candidate, a tablet formulation of minoxidil, in male-pattern hair loss in April.
    — Avalon Pernell, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Flit can mill ultra-precise, nested male-to-female sleeve joints required for adhesive bonding with a 1mm tolerance.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of male
Noun
  • Analysts warn that beyond crowded positioning and technical pullbacks, fundamental risks within the AI supply chain may also be emerging.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • States alleged that Meta’s internal research documented links between Instagram use and harms including depression, anxiety and body-image concerns among young people, while the company publicly minimized or concealed those risks.
    — Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of risk
Noun
  • The local community has also rallied to help the family by delivering meals, caring for their kids and walking their dog.
    — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Four months later, he was seen last weekend walking dogs, taking walks, enjoying a cup of coffee in a garage, and even stopping to sift through neighborhood trash items on the side of the street.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog

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Cite this Entry

“Joker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joker. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about joker

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