dad joke

American

[dad johk] / ˈdæd ˌdʒoʊk /

noun

Informal.

a corny joke or pun suggestive of those made by fathers to their children.

You don’t have to have kids to tell awful dad jokes.

Usage

What is a dad joke? The term dad joke is used to refer to a joke that's intentionally corny—the kind of joke that dads are known to tell their kids (or any random person they encounter). In most cases, the punch lines of dad jokes involve a pun or some form of wordplay.

Etymology

Origin of dad joke

First recorded in 1985–90

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.

Expect a stunt show finish and plenty of silliness, such as a dad joke or strength contests.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2025

And then there was the dad joke that landed him on ESPN.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2023

While everyone probably knows a good "dad joke" or two, it can be a little harder to define a "dad show" on television.

From Salon • May 9, 2022

The joke of a dad joke is not the joke itself—those are only ever groaningly funny, if that—it’s the dad.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2020

“Worst dad joke ever,” David says, but he’s grinning.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023