sharp joke

1 3.4

A clever joke that can sting someone's feelings

noun

: broma aguda

That was a really sharp joke!

Examples

She is known for making a sharp joke at just the right moment.
His sharp joke had everyone at the table laughing uncontrollably.
Sometimes a sharp joke can lighten even the tensest atmosphere.
He always tells a sharp joke at parties.
Her sharp joke about the awkward situation had everyone laughing.
The comedian is known for delivering sharp jokes that leave a lasting impression.
At the dinner party, his sharp joke broke the tension and sparked a lively discussion.

Synonyms

wisecrack

vssharp joke

Informal

12 6.2

A short funny or sarcastic remark meant to be clever

is more cutting and likely to hurt feelings rather than just amuse

witticism

vssharp joke

4 7.2

A clever short remark meant to make people laugh

is sharper and likely to sting rather than simply amuse

Antonyms

dull

169 1.3

Not interesting or lively

How Witty

sharp joke

1 3.4

funny joke

29 1.0

Surface Forms

sharp joke singular

sharp jokes plural

Morphology

sharp + joke

The meaning is compositionally derived: 'sharp' (pointed, biting, or keen) modifies 'joke', yielding a joke that is cutting, clever, or incisive. This adjectival-noun combination follows a regular compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words should be able to infer the intended sense.

Etymology

Sharp joke comes from the picture of a sharp blade that cuts quickly; a sudden, cutting remark from a joke feels like a small spoken cut. So a sharp joke means a joke that is very clever and a little 'cutting' or 'witty'.