one-liner

noun

one-lin·​er ˌwən-ˈlī-nər 

1

: a very succinct joke or witticism

2

: a succinct or meaningful and especially accurate statement

Synonyms of one-liner

• joke
• laugh
• joking

Examples of one-liner in a Sentence

the senator deftly inserted some smart one-liners into an otherwise sober speech

Recent Examples on the Web

And to those who will be there, the opportunity to see the closest people in Hart’s life (at least the famous ones) bombard him with savage one-liners and embarrassing stories is definitely a must-see. —Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026

The plot is just a format for ceaseless one-liners, sight gags and cartoonish characters. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026

Played with blistering sarcasm by Emily Blunt, the high-strung Runway magazine assistant had many of the most crackling one-liners in the original 2006 film. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026

For all the one-liners, Belt dedicated part of his speech to his late father, Darrell, who died last July. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for one-liner

• airliner
• combiner
• designer
• diviner
• eyeliner
• headliner
• pulvinar
• recliner
• refiner
• diner
• finer
• liner