juke
1 Americanverb (used with object)
noun
noun
Etymology
Origin of juke1
Spelling variant of jouk
Origin of juke2
By shortening
Explanation
Use the word juke when you talk about a little roadside bar where you can dance to jukebox music or a live band. Another word for a juke is a "roadhouse." If you visit a rowdy rural bar with dancing and beer, you can call it a juke. Many country and blues bands got their start playing at jukes in the south, although some jukes offer jukeboxes as their only music. You can also call it a "juke joint." The word juke comes from the Southern United States Creole known as Gullah — in which juke or joog means "wicked" or "disorderly."
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:
“Hadestown” is a love story first and foremost, set in a joyous juke joint, the band ringing the stage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Walking through the exhibition, specially-programmed headsets react to the environment - creating a personalised DJ Mix as the music evolves from juke joints and jazz clubs to reggae nights, carnival and pirate radio.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026
The newbie nominee won the trophy out of the gate for his portrayal of twins Smoke and Stack in Ryan Coogler’s juke joint-and-vampires movie “Sinners.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 16, 2026
They appeared on panels moderated by celebrity boosters such as Austin Butler and Denzel Washington, and mingled at a Los Angeles supper club that got turned into the juke joint from the movie.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026
He slid money into a juke box which played “That Old Gang of Mine.”
From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury
O.J. did as O.J. was famous for doing, and juked.
From New York Times ● Apr. 12, 2024
In his best play of the season, Hemby evaded one defender, then juked another as he took the ball 61 yards to the 2.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 30, 2023
On his way to the end zone, Bland juked Young before scoring.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 19, 2023
Finally, he eluded one rusher, juked another one, and hit Washington on an 11-yard pass for the game’s first touchdown.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2022
He juked and jived and spun and danced and darted, and he left them squeezing handfuls of air.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
Justin Herbert just kept running, juking and winning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2024
The result is something like shuffling, juking bas-reliefs or ghosts.
From New York Times ● Feb. 3, 2024
“Ken is out there just juking guys and making guys miss left and right,” quarterback Geno Smith marveled later.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 27, 2023
Irving skittered across the lane juking defenders on his way to 24 points, six rebounds and five assists.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 12, 2022
We joked a little more, I thought like regular American men, faking, dipping, juking.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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.
