straight man

noun

1. an entertainer who plays the part of a foil for a comic partner.

straight man

noun

1. a subsidiary actor who acts as stooge to a comedian

Word History and Origins

Origin of straight man¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

In Hollywood, one of the quickest ways to an award nomination is to be a straight man playing gay.

From The Daily Beast

In the press they were “furious lesbians” who targeted Buckle “because he was a straight man.”

From The Daily Beast

Jackman, given all the rumors around his own sexuality, elected to play the most gay-adjacent straight man on TV.

From The Daily Beast

With Reiner playing the straight man, Caesar plays a wise-cracking and loopy archaeology professor.

From The Daily Beast

The trait was especially essential for Nathan, a straight-man character Garcia patterned after himself.

From The Daily Beast

If you say flat you didnt get the goods well let it go, because we know youre a straight man, and think youre right.

From Project Gutenberg

I'll tell M'Grath, the publican at Solong, too: he's a straight man—he'll keep his ears open and warn chaps.

From Project Gutenberg

That, said Harding gravely, is a straight man, and he will do something by and by when he has an opportunity.

From Project Gutenberg

Well, I want a straight man, with good nerves and a cool head, to run a sugar estate for me.

From Project Gutenberg

Ned shot the answer back like a straight man who had been rehearsing his lines for weeks.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• sidekick