as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
by the standards of today's no-holds-barred satire, Will Rogers' homespun japes about politicians seem awfully gentle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in jests
to make jokes
the characters in Oscar Wilde's plays jape with a readiness and sophistication that is rarely, if ever, encountered in real life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of japes
Nick Miller, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Before this fifth season put him closer to the center of the action, Roddy had undoubtedly been a misfit among misfits at Slough House, a desk jockey who would hold court at his computer, issuing snide japes at anyone within earshot.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
That is when the japes really started, most prominently on a mid-season bonding trip to Barcelona when four players ‘borrowed’ a taxi after a late-night trip to McDonald’s.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Before this fifth season put him closer to the center of the action, Roddy had undoubtedly been a misfit among misfits at Slough House, a desk jockey who would hold court at his computer, issuing snide japes at anyone within earshot.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for japes
Noun
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Green is known for speaking his mind, talking candidly, and cracking jokes at the expense of others.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Bill Oakley has been making jokes about food for more than half his life.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Set in the English countryside, the film uses the classic plot of a lower class criminal working his way up through the hierarchy in order to extract laughs from an ensemble of eccentric aristocrats.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
28 Oct. 2025
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Thanks to an outstanding supporting voice cast that includes Jennifer Coolidge, John Cleese, Jay Leno, Eddie Izzard and Steve Buscemi, Igor is loaded with quirky characters and laughs.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Great practical effects and some very funny gags make this worth a watch.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Mel Brooks’ best comedy shares many similarities with his other revered films – a strong grip of genre beats, a non-stop barrage of gags yanking us forward, and an eagerness to give every performer a chance to comedically shine.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Nash had an unorthodox solution to Goldberg’s giggles.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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To her credit, Shannon shakes off the incipient paranoia and goes hard into the giggles at anything and everyone at the table.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Japes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/japes. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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