1
: one that groans
2
: a stale or corny joke, observation, or story
Synonyms of groaner
Examples of groaner in a Sentence
the play's dialogue featured all of the groaners that seem to be de rigueur for any dysfunctional-family drama
Recent Examples on the Web
Those pacing blips aren’t the only groaners.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2026
Che laughs about four groaners in a row, looking around sheepishly.
—
Andy Hoglund,
EW.com,
15 Dec. 2024
The only possible groaner, a joke about school shootings, clearly worked with the improv audience but, Wood reasoned, needed to come later in Saturday’s set, once the audience had grown to trust him a bit.
—
Wesley Lowery,
Washington Post,
1 May 2023
Evidently the authors — and the director, Jack O’Brien — meant to glue the show together with groaners, a gutsy if not entirely successful move.
—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2023
The pointillistic eclecticism of @NYT_first_said does tend to highlight the linguistic extremes—the novelties and the gags and the groaners.
—
Max Norman,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2023
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Greg Evans,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2026
Che laughs about four groaners in a row, looking around sheepishly.
—
Andy Hoglund,
EW.com,
15 Dec. 2024
The only possible groaner, a joke about school shootings, clearly worked with the improv audience but, Wood reasoned, needed to come later in Saturday’s set, once the audience had grown to trust him a bit.
—
Wesley Lowery,
Washington Post,
1 May 2023
Evidently the authors — and the director, Jack O’Brien — meant to glue the show together with groaners, a gutsy if not entirely successful move.
—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2023
The pointillistic eclecticism of @NYT_first_said does tend to highlight the linguistic extremes—the novelties and the gags and the groaners.
—
Max Norman,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Groaner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groaner. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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