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pun

/pʌn/  ·  say it: puhn

a joke exploiting a word's multiple meanings

In Literary English

In more detail

1. (noun) a joke that uses a word or phrase that has two different meanings, or two similar-sounding words, to create humor

2. (noun) a clever or amusing play on words

Examples

• The baker made a pun when he said his business was on a "roll."
• That joke about the broken pencil was a pun because it was "pointless."

How to use pun

A pun is a form of humor that exploits multiple meanings or sounds of words, often considered clever but sometimes criticized as corny or groan-worthy. It is used informally in conversation and comedy, and can range from sophisticated wordplay to obvious, groan-inducing jokes. The term itself is neutral, though 'pun' often carries an affectionate or self-aware tone when the speaker acknowledges that the joke is deliberately bad or silly.

Common phrases

• make a pun
• crack a pun
• pun intended
• a terrible pun
• a bad pun
• groan at a pun

Synonyms

wordplay · witticism · quip · joke · play on words

Word family

punny (adjective) · pun (verb) · punster (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse puns with simple jokes or witty remarks that do not involve the double meaning or sound similarity of words; a pun specifically relies on this linguistic mechanism.

Nearby in Literary English

plot twist, point of view, prologue, rhetoric, simile, subplot

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained