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
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
But the screenplay by Yoni Brenner and Etan Cohen is generally much smarter than that, featuring a plethora of sly one-liners revolving more around characterizations than pop-culture references.
—
Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2025
After the one-liner found its way working through social media, there were a few who didn’t like Duncan’s humor.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025
Though the film captured a moment in time, Cher's magnetic charm and the script's forever quotable one-liners and '90s slang have continued to win over audiences of all ages.
—Julia Emmanuele, People.com, 19 July 2025
Or in this case, the famous one-liners from season winner Amaya Papaya, as she is affectionately known.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for one-liner
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2025
After the one-liner found its way working through social media, there were a few who didn’t like Duncan’s humor.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025
Though the film captured a moment in time, Cher's magnetic charm and the script's forever quotable one-liners and '90s slang have continued to win over audiences of all ages.
—Julia Emmanuele, People.com, 19 July 2025
Or in this case, the famous one-liners from season winner Amaya Papaya, as she is affectionately known.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for one-liner
Cite this Entry
“One-liner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-liner. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share