one-liner

[ wuhn-lahy-ner ]

noun

1. a brief joke or amusing remark.

one-liner

noun

1. informal.
   a short joke or witty remark or riposte

Word History and Origins

Origin of one-liner¹

1965–70, Americanism; one line + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Another unconventional character is Gudetama, or "lazy egg", who is living with depression and fires out cold one-liners that reflect dark realities of life.

From BBC

“Eventually Revolut froze the account. They told me there was nothing they could do. It felt like a one-liner to say sorry.”

From BBC

The latter dishes out some of the funniest one-liners when the writers poke fun at his extreme loneliness working in isolation and the imaginary friends he’s built to cope.

From Los Angeles Times

The expletives and biting one-liners that Eric Bieniemy unleashes on a football field never cut as deep as the internal dialogue.

From Los Angeles Times

Presidential debates are remembered for the candidates’ pithy one-liners.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• gag
• joke
• wisecrack
• witticism
• zinger