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Synonyms

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.

practical joke British  

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of practical joke

First recorded in 1840–50

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.

“This is more of a sincere gesture, not necessarily a practical joke but I wanted to present it to him.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2025

The exhibit was supposed to spark debate, yes, but has the spirit of a harmless practical joke, she argues.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2024

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

He just couldn’t believe he’d been suckered into playing a practical joke on somebody.

From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner

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.