straight man

NOUN

comedian who sets up joke

Synonyms

STRONGEST

sidekick

WEAK

banana feed feeder foil second banana stooge straight person

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.

Mir, a high-strung anxious perfectionist, was written as more of the audience stand-in, the straight man.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2025

In that way, Jost functions as something that might’ve been equally powerful for "SNL"’s mainstream American audiences to witness: namely, a straight man embracing queerness, enjoying its sensibilities, and approaching it without fear.

From Salon • Feb. 17, 2025

But he has grown into his role at “Saturday Night Live,” proving to be an especially strong straight man adept at the comedy of embarrassment.

From New York Times • Apr. 28, 2024

Jadeja is a nice contrast - steady, quick, chipping away, the straight man to Ashwin's varied expressions.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2024

Mr. Jefferson is considered a straight man, and I may mention that he meets with Jacinta's approval.

From For Jacinta by Bindloss, Harold