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.

With Ginsberg, Glass acted as the straight man.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

“Yeah, but that doesn’t make sense in this case,” Meyers said, playing the straight man.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2025

It is very dapper for a straight man, but it couldn't be more boring for Tan France.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 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

A plain straight man like Lord Hartington, or Lord John Russell, or Sir Stafford Northcote, impresses the average Englishman more favourably than a curiously acute one like the Prime Minister.

From The Real Gladstone an Anecdotal Biography by Ritchie, J. Ewing (James Ewing)