the joke's on someone

phrase

Used to point out that someone tried to say something smart but it came out foolish.

“Person #1: You must give me exactly half of the money you earned.”

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Meanings

phrase
  1. Used to point out that someone tried to say something smart but it came out foolish.

    Person #1: You must give me exactly half of the money you earned.

    1 more example

    Person #2: The joke's on you! I earned exactly $0.00, so you get nothing, too!

Cite this entry
APA

the joke's on someone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20joke's%20on%20someone

MLA

“the joke's on someone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20joke's%20on%20someone. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the joke's on someone,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20joke's%20on%20someone.

Source: the joke's on someone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.