jape
Americanverb (used without object)
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japes,
present (3rd person singular)
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japed,
past participle, past
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japing
present participle
verb (used with object)
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japes,
present (3rd person singular)
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japed,
past participle, past
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japing
present participle
noun
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a joke; jest; quip.
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a trick or practical joke.
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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japesimple
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japessimple
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have japedperfect
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has japedperfect
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am japingprogressive
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are japingprogressive
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is japingprogressive
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have been japingperfect progressive
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has been japingperfect progressive
Past
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japedsimple
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had japedperfect
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was japingprogressive
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were japingprogressive
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had been japingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of jape
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English japen, perhaps from Old French jap(p)er “to bark,” of imitative origin
Explanation
A jape is a joke. The highlight of your family get-togethers might be your funny uncle's japes. You can tell a jape, or play a jape — or a practical joke — on someone. An older sister might tell her little brother, "I'm not interested in your silly childish japes" when he shows her his whoopie cushion, for example. You could also say that you love your annual holiday party at work, because instead of the usual stress, it's all laughing and japes. The word jape most likely comes from the Old French verb japer, "to howl, bawl, or scream."
Vocabulary lists containing jape
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
McDonald and Jim Youngren came up with the billboard as a jape on the prevailing national image of Seattle in the wake of the Boeing bust.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 9, 2021
Yes, there is a jape about polyphasic sleep.
From The Verge ● Feb. 26, 2020
In any case, this gory, frenetic jape is less interested in quibbling over semantics than in signaling its own insouciant self-awareness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2018
Morkel initially claims he touched it, so thus umpire Tucker goes upstairs for the run-out, but then the big bowler reveals he was joking - a jape!
From The Guardian ● Jan. 15, 2016
Some jape about the smell of freedom, he guessed.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Another film, “Gasman,” was full of jolly japes about everyday corruption.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
Back then, Leno said, late-night japes were “a gentle prod.”
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2025
But the real magic came from the chemistry and japes of the trio at the heart of the programme - Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
From BBC ● Nov. 21, 2023
This is all temporary, and the relationship will return to pranks and japes in due course.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2022
Let her noble husband make the speeches and laugh at the feeble Yunkish japes.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
The West Mercia Police that caught Pool japed on Twitter that they had “helped save Easter for Creme Egg fans.”
From Washington Times ● Feb. 16, 2023
In 2011, the host Ricky Gervais japed that H.F.P.A. members didn’t nominate “The Tourist” just to hang out with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, “They also accepted bribes.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 11, 2023
“I appreciate you dumping you oppo research,” Cruz japed, laughing about what most voters would consider research about the opposition.
From Time ● Jan. 15, 2016
As Huddersfield-born Smithies jumped and japed and waved to his many friends in the Wembley crowd, his back-up, Nick Colgan, showed the value of experience.
From The Guardian ● May 27, 2012
“Lord Winter has joined us with his levies,” one of the sentries outside the Great Hall japed... until he saw Theon’s face and realized who he was talking to.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
But its ineffectual japing, and Michaels’ inability to help himself when it comes to normalizing repugnant behavior in the name of chasing the zeitgeist, makes it a popular stop on the image rehab express.
From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026
Longtime friend and former HBO sketch comedy co-star David Cross tweeted earlier that he had spoken earlier by telephone with Odenkirk, whom he described as “doing great” and “joking, japing and joshing.”
From Reuters ● Jul. 30, 2021
“Joking and japing and joshing. Both he and his family are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and concern everyone has shown. You will be hearing from him soon. But he’s doing really well!!!”
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 30, 2021
“Just got off the phone with Bob and he’s doing great! Joking and japing and joshing,” Cross wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2021
Tyrion was not entirely sure he had been japing.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
