as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
by the standards of today's no-holds-barred satire, Will Rogers' homespun japes about politicians seem awfully gentle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to joke
to make jokes
the characters in Oscar Wilde's plays jape with a readiness and sophistication that is rarely, if ever, encountered in real life
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Recent Examples of jape
Marianne Eloise, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2024
The curators know who the target audience is: people who still get a kick out of decades-old barf japes.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Sep. 2024
This one happens to run on digital blood spatter, bootleg CGI and japes about genitalia, but the animus behind these films is nostalgia for the kind of pounding marquee movies of the 1980s and ‘90s, when the men were muscly and the misogyny was cool with everyone.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
But as the capital merry-go-round spun its peccadilloes, scandals and ballyhooed promises, his jaunty baritone restored order with bipartisan japes and irreverent songs to deflate the preening ego and the Big Idea. Presidents from Eisenhower to Trump caught the flak.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023
Characterizing universes in which this kind of informaiotn transmission can take place might be a useful jape for astrobiologists with time on their hands.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2023
Director Aaron Posner’s organizing notion proves far better suited to a short skit than a full 150 minutes of expository twists — and antiquated japes.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 22 Jan. 2020
The coffee table part is a funny jape about the design’s similarity to a piece of midcentury furniture, an undulating shape raised on legs; but the kunsthalle part is more telling.
—Christopher Knight, latimes.com, 9 July 2019
Local guffaw nuts can hit up the annual jape show that is the Orlando Comedy Festival (6 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday, Hilton Garden Inn at SeaWorld, 6850 Westwood Blvd. in Orlando, $20-$35, orlandocomedyfestival.com).
—Trevor Fraser, orlandosentinel.com, 19 June 2019
wsj.com, 12 May 2023
Noun
What follows is a Die Hard–style jape that, spoiler, ends in the entire Lonely Island being shot and killed.
—Marianne Eloise, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2024
The curators know who the target audience is: people who still get a kick out of decades-old barf japes.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Sep. 2024
This one happens to run on digital blood spatter, bootleg CGI and japes about genitalia, but the animus behind these films is nostalgia for the kind of pounding marquee movies of the 1980s and ‘90s, when the men were muscly and the misogyny was cool with everyone.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
But as the capital merry-go-round spun its peccadilloes, scandals and ballyhooed promises, his jaunty baritone restored order with bipartisan japes and irreverent songs to deflate the preening ego and the Big Idea. Presidents from Eisenhower to Trump caught the flak.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2023
Characterizing universes in which this kind of informaiotn transmission can take place might be a useful jape for astrobiologists with time on their hands.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2023
Director Aaron Posner’s organizing notion proves far better suited to a short skit than a full 150 minutes of expository twists — and antiquated japes.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 22 Jan. 2020
The coffee table part is a funny jape about the design’s similarity to a piece of midcentury furniture, an undulating shape raised on legs; but the kunsthalle part is more telling.
—Christopher Knight, latimes.com, 9 July 2019
Local guffaw nuts can hit up the annual jape show that is the Orlando Comedy Festival (6 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday, Hilton Garden Inn at SeaWorld, 6850 Westwood Blvd. in Orlando, $20-$35, orlandocomedyfestival.com).
—Trevor Fraser, orlandosentinel.com, 19 June 2019
Verb
He is reported to have participated in a pestilential online gun culture, replete with tasteless japing about mass shootings.
—wsj.com, 12 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jape
Noun
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Meanwhile, Corden, as the event’s emcee, made some uncomfortable jokes about the Dow dropping 2200 points last Friday.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2025
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After Wil Trapp scored a rare goal in Minnesota United’s 2-1 win over New York City on Sunday — and the midfielder did so from outside the 18-yard box — Michael Boxall had jokes ready for his teammate and friend in the visiting locker room at Yankee Stadium.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The big picture: Parody accounts from Mount Rainier and Mount Hood are trading playful taunts and humorous one-upmanship, comparing body counts and jesting about whether size matters.—
Christine Clarridge,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
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While Black jested about the possibility of a sequel in his video, the concept has come up in the past.—
Tommy McArdle,
Peoplemag,
26 Sep. 2024
Noun
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In a bit role, Morgan McGhee delivers big laughs with her loopy take as a newscaster.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2025
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The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast co-host was spotted sharing a laugh with his daughter Mia and his niece Savannah Phillips on Christmas at Sandringham in December 2024, joining the royals for church on the holiday.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jape. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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