Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for punch line

punch line

noun

  1. the climactic phrase or sentence in a joke, speech, advertisement, or humorous story that produces the desired effect.


punch line

noun

  1. the culminating part of a joke, funny story, etc, that gives it its humorous or dramatic point
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of punch line1

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25
Discover More

Example Sentences

How happy it has been to discover my youthful ignorance as the true punch line.

The vice presidency has often served as the punch line in a long-running joke — that is, when the office and its occupant have gotten any attention at all.

And Vance has turned in a mixed performance on the campaign trail, struggling to turn anti-woke culture war material into punch lines.

From Salon

Santos, who won a Long Island congressional seat in a 2022 midterms upset, became an unlikely national punch line when it turned out he concocted most of his life story.

Within minutes, she’d blabbed to everyone, making it sound like a big joke—with Jess and the twins as the punch line.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement