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joker

noun

Simple meaning

Someone who does something thoughtless or annoying.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

johker

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US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈdʒoʊkɚ

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. A person who enjoys telling or playing jokes

  2. A person who makes jokes.

  3. A playing card that features a picture of a joker (that is, a jester) and that may be used as a wild card in some card games.

  4. figurative

    Something kept in reserve that can be used to gain an advantage; a trump card.

  5. A playing card that is usually printed with a picture of a jester

  6. An inconspicuous clause in a document or bill that affects its meaning in a way that is not immediately apparent

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C1 · Advanced (estimated)
Frequency
Uncommon
Typical Use
Neutral / general English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: A person who does something thoughtless or annoying

Used this way, joker is a common word with a clearly unfavourable pull. It sounds natural in ordinary conversation and in expressive writing alike.

Heard in a sentence
“Some joker is blocking the driveway.”
Emotional tone
Negative
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Moderate
How common
Common
Connotation
Serious and weighty
Usage feel
Everyday but emotionally strong

Nearby words

  • jokester , rarer, so it draws attention

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use joker

  • “Some joker is blocking the driveway.”noun

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

practical jokersome jokergreat jokerjoker arroyoreal jokerprivate joker

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • practical jokernounCompound term

    Someone who plays practical jokes on others.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: person who enjoys telling or playing jokes

jokesterRare

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.