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

Word History and Origins

Origin of punch line¹

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Example Sentences

Readers eagerly ate up her candid revelations, no names withheld, about what she experienced on the other side of the coverage that perpetually made punch lines out of her persona, her love life and her body.

From Time

Edith Piaf mournfully lists her mistakes, allowing Front a rare punch-line: “So… you do have some regrets.”

From The Daily Beast

He was a self-made man, and a self-destroyed man—so he wrote his own punch line.

From The Daily Beast

Palin views herself as a “punch of reality” as opposed to a punch line.

From The Daily Beast

The last few years have regrettably made the phrase “Republican pollster” less a job title than a punch line.

From The Daily Beast

Reelecting Gray knowing he could be indicted would once again make the District a punch line for the late-night talk shows.

From The Daily Beast

Phil said, "Because people are—" And then he caught himself and waved his hand and muttered, "I forgot the punch line."

From Project Gutenberg

He began to hold back slyly, like a comedian building up the tension before a punch-line.

From Project Gutenberg