sick joke

Idioms  

1. An anecdote intended to be humorous but actually in very bad taste, as in His stories turn out to be sick jokes about people who are handicapped in some way. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sick joke

This was not only predictable but also a sick joke.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

As he wrote in his 2018 memoir, “Siren Song”: “Whatever sick joke these guys were playing, they really meant it, and it was new and original. I loved it.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026

‘Felt like a sick joke the universe played on me,’ Rage Against the Machine singer Zack de la Rocha said after tearing his Achilles’ tendon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2022

Rachel Harrison, national officer for the GMB union, described charging healthcare staff for parking as a "a sick joke", after they "risked their lives during the pandemic".

From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2022

This is some sick joke or a dream.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles