jape 1 of 2

noun

Definition of japenext
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

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jape

2 of 2

verb

ˈjāp How to pronounce jape (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jape
Noun
The camp hatred of Barney is really a leftover 1960s counterculture jape. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026 That is when the japes really started, most prominently on a mid-season bonding trip to Barcelona when four players ‘borrowed’ a taxi after a late-night trip to McDonald’s. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
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 See All Example Sentences for jape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jape
  1. joke
  2. jest
  3. laugh
  4. joking
Noun
  • And honestly, that’s kind of the best joke there is — some classic America’s Funniest Home Videos type stuff.
    — Maria Bamford, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Sumaila has a running joke about it, borrowed from an old British comedy about a heist gone wrong.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of joke
Verb
  • Overcompensating star Shiplett, 39, jested about The Odyssey’s status as one of the most anticipated movies of this year in a caption to her post.
    — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
  • Mamdani has said nobody should throw snowballs at cops — jesting that the public should throw them at him instead — but does not see it as a criminal matter.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of jest
Noun
  • O’Connell appeared to joke about the marathon applause with Boyle, prompting laughs from his co-stars Claire Foy and Pearce.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Its format — multi-cam, laugh-tracked, with the occasional fourth-wall-breaking aside — is one that would have been in vogue when Martin originally aired.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Indeed, at lunch, instead of separating into groups to eat, all 16 participants form one mega table and spend the half-hour joking and laughing together.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Many readers — some likely joking — shared their grievances with Elmo.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of joking

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Cite this Entry

“Jape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jape. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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