punch line

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.

Despite the anguish — often told as a punch line — the winner of the competition offered a glimmer of hope to the nearly 90 attendees live-voting throughout the show via an app.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Chinese culture may be of genuine interest to many users, but online, it’s destined to become an exotic punch line.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

I had to unlearn the muscle memory of taking people to a poignant place and then relieving that tension with a punch line.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2025

So much of life doesn’t have a punch line, and in music you can be more confessional because you’re not saying, “Hi, I’m Mae, and I’m saying this about this particular incident in my life.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2025

The passive might be more appropriate in cases like these: • When there’s a punch line.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner