practical joke

American  

noun

1. a playful trick, often involving some physical agent or means, in which the victim is placed in an embarrassing or disadvantageous position.

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practical joke British  

noun

1. a prank or trick usually intended to make the victim appear foolish

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Other Word Forms

• practical joker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of practical joke

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Jason Hughes, 40, came out of his home to surprise the students who were tossing toilet papers over trees as part of a practical joke.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Was it all some kind of practical joke?

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2023

It's almost as if McCarthy was playing some kind of elaborate practical joke.

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2023

As Günter descends into the rabbit hole of his origins, the film morphs into something else entirely, in what feels almost like a practical joke, too dryly delivered, on van Warmerdam’s part.

From New York Times • Dec. 8, 2022

Then he drifted off in his novel costume, the sergeant’s ultimate practical joke on him.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• prank