sharp joke - Glite Dictionary

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

5 7.2

A clever short remark meant to make people laugh

is sharper and likely to sting rather than simply amuse

Antonyms

dull

182 1.3

Not interesting or lively

How Witty

sharp joke

3.4

funny joke

14 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'.