Puns with word pun

What’s the best pun you can come up with the word “pelican” ?

[request] puns with the word ‘jenga’ for senior jersey

So we’re in year 12 of high school and we all get jerseys, including our year advisor teachers who’ve let us, the students, decide their jersey name. Usually the jersey name is a witty pun or joke which uses the wearer’s name.

One of the teachers has a last name which sounds exactly like ‘jenga’ (that’s not her name is really spelt, but it’s to protect her identity), so I’ll be need your help to get some good puns.

If you guys can’t think of any, the other teachers last name is Daher (pronounced «darr»), so suggestions for her name would be nice too. Thanks!

Help me with this pun from the word «Jhilam»

I tried and tried and tried, nothing came up..

[request] Pun about christmas with the word «Sulfur» or «Volcano»

Pun name help?

Hey! I’m currently writing a novel. And I’m liking for a pun name based on a word that would suggest them not being real. Please don’t give me the actual name. Please give me a word I can work with

We will never run out of puns now!

A giant list of puns

What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta.

I would avoid the sushi if I was you. It’s a little fishy.

Want to hear a joke about paper? Nevermind it’s tearable.

Why did the cookie cry? Because his father was a wafer so long!

I used to work in a shoe recycling shop. It was sole destroying.

What do you call a belt with a watch on it? A waist of time.

How do you organize an outer space party? You planet.

I went to a seafood disco last week… and pulled a mussel.

Do you know where you can get chicken broth in bulk? The stock market.

I cut my finger chopping cheese, but I think that I may have greater problems.

My cat was just sick on the carpet, I don’t think it’s feline well.

Why did the octopus beat the shark in a fight? Because it was well armed.

How much does a hipster weigh? An instagram.

What did daddy spider say to baby spider? You spend too much time on the web.

Atheism is a non-prophet organisation.

There’s a new type of broom out, it’s sweeping the nation.

What cheese can never be yours? Nacho cheese.

What did the Buffalo say to his little boy when he dropped him off at school? Bison.

Have you ever heard of a music group called Cellophane? They mostly wrap.

Why does Superman gets invited to dinners? Because he is a Supperhero.

How was Rome split in two? With a pair of Ceasars.

The shovel was a ground breaking invention.

A scarecrow says, «This job isn’t for everyone, but hay, it’s in my jeans.»

A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog stand and says, «Make me one with everything.»

Did you hear about the guy who lost the left side of his body? He’s alright now.

What do you call a girl with one leg that’s shorter than the other? Ilene.

I did a theatrical performance on puns. It was a play on words.

What do you do with a dead chemist? You barium.

I bet the person who created the door knocker won a Nobel prize.

Towels can’t tell jokes. They have a dry sense of humor.

Two birds are sitting on a perch and one says «Do you smell fish?»

Do you know sign language? You should learn it, it’s pretty handy.

What do you call a beautiful pumpkin? GOURDgeous.

Why did one banana spy on the other? Because she was appealing.

What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.

What do you call a cow with two legs? Lean beef.

What do you call a cow with all of its legs? High steaks.

A cross eyed teacher couldn’t control his pupils.

After the accident, the juggler didn’t have the balls to do it.

I used to be afraid of hu

… keep reading on reddit ➡

The O.Henry Pun-Off is back “ON!” — Tongues of puns linger

  • Like all cherished things in this covid-crazy world, the O.Henry Museum’s famous free, family friendly celebration of the wit-in-word will take place virtually in cyberspace this year. With an awesome live cast of lively wits and tortured tongues, the online audience will be treated to all the linguistic twists, dramatic turns, and surprise endings they’ve groan to love. Expect to witness wacky word butchers and voracious verbivores from around the globe, all worming their way into your ears. Tongues of tradition, tension and camaraderie make this the premier event for the world’s competitive wordplay community
  • Brought to you this year by the City of Austin, Brush Square Museums Foundation, and co- sponsored by Austin’s very own Fantastic Magic Camp, as well as the internationally renowned podcast, Pun Intensive, The O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships Punslingers Competition: Online Edition will commence Saturday, November 21, 2020
  • Preliminary live rounds begin Saturday, November 21, 2020, at 11:00am CST, lasting about 2 hours. Later that evening, live competition resumes at 7:00pm CST with head-to-head prime time heats. — See Pun-Off.com for schedule details, links, and more.

[Austin, TX, November 1, 2020] — Although traditionally held outdoors on a single day in the spring, the first portion 2020 the O. Henry Museum Pun-Off competition known as Punniest of Show was conducted via video in October. Now on Saturday, November 21, 2020, PARD will bring you their most popular second segment, O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships Punslingers Competition: Online Edition

This free, fun, and family friendly event will take place online this year, but with special twists, turns, and surprise modifications to make it the perfect 2020 event for the world’s competitive wordplay community.

The O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships have been an Austin institution for 43 years. As usual, the contest will feature a cavalcade of word-class wordsmiths from across the globe, all worming their way into your art. Join and enjoy us as they compete to spontaneously spit out the most absurd words you’ve ever heard.

The event will be live streamed at PunIntensive.com.

Request for pun help.

Hi everyone.

I don’t know if this is allowed but I’m running out of ideas. I’m trying to make puns dealing with candies relating to the words «Leadership», «Service», and either «Fellowship» or «friendship». I figured this is the place of experts and hoped you could provide me with a solution. I’m planning on using this for big little reveal in my fraternity.

Thanks again ahead of time!

Periodic Table Pun

Why is the element Sb poor?
Because it is antimony.

The pun is basically about an element in the periodic table which is called antimony and whose symbol is Sb this is basically playing with words that Sb is anti-money and that’s why it is poor.

Variations can be Sb is anti-capitalist. But anyways.

A panda walks into a restaurant and orders a sandwich. When he receives the check, he pulls out a gun, fires it several times, then walks out the door. If you don’t get it look up «panda» in the dictionary …

«Panda: A large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China; eats shoots and leaves.»


Since today Merriam Webster even has the word dad joke:

«a wholesome joke of the type said to be told by fathers with a punchline that is often an obvious or predictable pun or play on words and usually judged to be endearingly corny or unfunny»

A daily pun thread

I propose we start a daily competition.

Each day the winner of the pervious days thread provides the word for the day.

Then you lovely lot will go off into reddit and try make the best pun around that word/phrase you can, and link your best result in that days thread. The comment with the most up votes wins for the day. Only one pun per account per day.

Ill start with a relatively easy one:
Pun

PROMPOSAL SUGGESTIONS

Hey guys so I want to ask a girl out to prom. I want to do a pun with the words using Queen of Flow something like that. Other words can be included,

-Chambeas
-Chevre
-Estamos Perdiendo El Tiempo

Great list of excellent puns

How does Moses make tea? Hebrews it.

Venison for dinner again? Oh deer!

A cartoonist was found dead in his home. Details are sketchy.

I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.

Haunted French pancakes give me the crêpes.

England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.

I tried to catch some fog, but I mist.

They told me I had type-A blood, but it was a Typo.

I changed my iPod’s name to Titanic. It’s syncing now.

Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.

I know a guy who’s addicted to brake fluid, but he says he can stop

any time.

I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.

This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I’d

never met herbivore.

When chemists die, they barium.

I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can’t put it down.

I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.

Why were the Indians in America first? They had reservations.

I didn’t like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.

Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost her job because she

couldn’t control her pupils?

When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

Broken pencils are pointless.

What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A theasaurus.

I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx.

All the toilets in New York’s police stations have been stolen. The

police have nothing to go on.

I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.

Velcro — what a rip off!

Don’t worry about old age; it doesn’t last.

My friend sent me these puns idk source just thought you would enjoy

Stop basting my Lamb, you lamb-baster

So I came across a word today in my reading that I had heard before and was able to deduce it’s likely meaning based in the context it was used, however, to be safe, I looked it up anyway and while reading the book definition came up with what I hope is an original pun (phrase)…

Context: When someone is giving you a hard time you can say, «stop basting my Lamb, you lamb-baster»

lambaste — criticize (someone or something) harshly

[Request] puns about dice (for wedding favours)

Our wedding is next weekend, and we are giving out personalized dice as our favours. We thought «thank you for coming» was a little too bland, and we’d like to spice it up with a dice pun. Any pun suggestions that also tie into the cutesy wedding/romantic setting? So far I’ve found «we make a great pair» and a lot of puns around the word «dicey», but I’m hoping you fine folks can help us out.

Edit: We are huge gamers which is why we went with the dice. This isn’t a Vegas wedding or anything similar, so jackpot related jokes aren’t quite what we’re looking for. :)

My friend and I have this game we play…

If someone makes a pun, you have to reply in a pun… but it has to be on the same topic as the original pun. Sooooooooooooooooooo my friend had the most clever, best pun of all time… A 3 word combo. The topic was dairy… and he made a pun I didn’t quite catch… so with his wit, he responded «I guess that one flew right pasteurize» My mind was shattered…

Baby’s first pun

My first born is due soon and so to prepare it for life with its father I wanted the first words it hears from me to be a pun. We don’t know the sex yet so I need to have a back up plan.

Currently is if is male I am thinking of «It’s aboy-t time you showed up». I am fairly happy with this but I am also open to suggestions. I still need either a genderless pun or girl based pun though.

In need of Rose puns

For a silent auction for a non-profit I’m helping with they need rose puns/play on words for the packages. It’s a wine event as well.
Here are some of the ideas I’ve figured out as well.
Whine and Rows?
Rose Colored Glasses
Rose and Shone

[Pun Request] Puns about Mae/Des

Hey guys, this might sound too cheesy and I’m not sure if I’m posting on the right subreddit.

Every Saturday I give my SO a printed typography paper that I personally design with a pun of her name on it (her name is Des, I call her Mae so either is good).

Here’s a sample of what I do.

Problem is, I can make the designs, but I’m running out of puns. Here’s a list of what I’ve already done:

Des puns:

  • Hardest

  • Wordes (Words)

  • Widest

  • Uncondesionally (Unconditionally)

  • DrivES

  • Dessert

  • Fades

  • Des (This)

  • Holidess (Happy Holidays!)

  • Desperate

  • Desision (Decision)

  • Decades

  • Desert

  • Destination

  • Dress (DrESs)

  • Despresso (Espresso)

Mae puns:

  • Maend (I hope you don’t maend(mind)
  • Maecadamia (Macadamia)
  • Maengo (Mango)
  • Maecaroni (Macaroni)
  • Maeple (Maple)
  • Lifetimae (Lifetime)
  • Imaegine (Imagine)
  • Chamaeleon (Chameleon)
  • Caramael (Caramel)
  • Achievemaent (Achievement)
  • Gmaes (Games)
  • Maek (Make)
  • Drmae (Dream)
  • Dramey (Dreamy)
  • Maesure (Measure)
  • Blmae (Blame)
  • Maet (Mate)
  • Climaet (Climate)
  • Ultimaet (Ultimate)
  • Maebe (Maybe)
  • Mae (My one and only)
  • Mae (Whatever May Happen)
  • Maen (You mean everything to me)
  • Maent (We’re meant to be)
  • Amaezing (Amazing)
  • Maeutiful (Beautiful… I know)
  • Maechiatto (Macchiato)

I’d really appreciate some help if you guys have any puns reserved. Anything will do, really.

Thanks!

EDIT: Formatting

Request! Help me come up with cheesy pun using words «quetzal» or «monkey»?

I am making cheesy valentine-like cards for my fellow Adventure Monkeys—a name that was dubbed to the group I did humanitarian aid work with in Guatemala. For our last meeting tomorrow, I want to bring cheesy valentine-like cards, but I’m having trouble coming up with a silly pun. I’d like to use the words Quetzal (national bird of Guatemala) or Monkey (for our group) if possible.

Any ideas? I need your brilliant pun minds!

[Request] Need a pun about my country

I need a pun with the word «Algeria or algerian» in it if possible thanks in advance

Nest puns

Hey I was curious of some of the best puns you can come up with involving the word «nest»! the best I’ve come up with is «nestquick» thanks!

Collection of dadness

I am not a dad at the moment, but I’ve learned the art of pretty clever puns in college. Some are mine, some are spins on inspirations, others are more on the joke side of dad.

What does a radioactive cat have?
18 half-lives

Ventriloquists are like psychiatrists, they both talk through things.

What is my vision?
To make the world 10% better?
No, it’s about 20/20…

The invention of the shovel was truly a groundbreaking discovery.

Dad: I invested in some uranium, but I lost money.
Friend: What happened?
Dad: The Profit decayed.

We have received a report of a hole being discovered in the ground, our investigative team is looking into it.

There was an explosion at a local film manufacturing company, the story is still developing as we speak.

A local theater put together an act about jokes.
It was a play on words

Sø, I hêárd yöū lìkë föréigñ açćēńtš

As an airline mechanic would say, the job has lots of ups and downs.

My New Years resolution will probably be 25 megapixels, or 4K, not sure yet…

There was a river in Egypt no one believed existed, it was known locally as De-Nile.

Dad-Epitaph:
I thought I’d never live to see this day come.

There are two things that are guaranteed to open doors in life.
Push and Pull!

(How to keep an idiot in suspense)
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?

A man builds robotic snakes for a living, I guess you could say he was a… python programmer!

A researcher’s obsession with mixing stone, sand, lime, and water has yielded concrete results.

A madman once attacked a rider on his horse.
The rider had to goto hospital, the horse remains in stable condition.

A man bought a paper shop, it blew away in the wind last night.

Science is all about learning the rules, setting off an absurd amount of explosives, and then writing down what happened.

It has recently been discovered that scientific research causes cancer in rats.

Dad: Did you pick up your room?
Kid: No, I tried but it’s too heavy.

Need help with a pun, please

Hey guys. I need help with a pun, I’ve been thinking about it for a while and haven’t come up with it.
In Portuguese you informally say «xau» when you’re saying goodbye to someone (sound’s almost as the Italian «ciao»). I have a friend who always makes this funny pun when we’re going our separate ways, he always says «Xau-sescu» (Ceaușescu — as in the Romanian dictator) and for a few months I’ve been looking for a nice comeback to that pun.
I was looking for a way to incorporate the name of a dictator and the word «goodbye» (in any language possible), but so far I haven’t been able to.
Could you guys help me out? In my native language, Portuguese, I haven’t come up with anything cool (my knowleadge in dictator’s names is also not very vast).

Thanks!

Hit me with your puns for a folk festival shirt!

My friend is designing a t-shirt for Folk Fest and needs a witty, all-ages-appropriate pun to go on it, but neither her, nor I or my fiancee can come up with one. The image on the front is of a beardy man playing the tuba, with a bird (Cardinal, I think?) coming out of it that’s playing the drums. Out of the bass drum is crawling a cracked-out-looking dude wearing flannel, who’s playing the guitar-looking instrument, with arms coming out of that playing the triangle. A great pun for the shirt with the word «Folk» in it would be much appreciated, and I know you guys are good at making puns, so fire away! Reddit, lend me your puns!

Studying for my MCAT when I came across this passage in Verbal.

I have written this book to sweep away all misunderstandings about the crafty art of punnery and to convince you that the pun is well worth celebrating…. After all, the pun is mightier than the sword, and these days you are much more likely to run into a pun than into a sword. [A pun is a witticism involving the playful use of a word in different senses, or of words which differ in meaning but sound alike.]

Scoffing at puns seems to be a conditioned reflex, and through the centuries a steady barrage of libel and slander has been aimed at the practice of punning. Nearly three hundred years ago John Dennis sneered, “A pun is the lowest form of wit,” a charge that has been butted and rebutted by a mighty line of pundits and punheads.

Henry Erskine, for example, has protested that if a pun is the lowest form of wit, “It is, therefore, the foundation of all wit.” Oscar Levant has added a tag line: “A pun is the lowest form of humor—when you don’t think of it first.” John Crosbie and Bob Davies have responded to Dennis with hot, cross puns: “…If someone complains that punning is the lowest form of humor you can tell them that poetry is verse.”

Samuel Johnson, the eighteenth century self-appointed custodian of the English language, once thundered, “To trifle with the vocabulary which is the vehicle of social intercourse is to tamper with the currency of human intelligence. He who would violate the sanctities of his mother tongue would invade the recesses of the national till without remorse… ”

Joseph Addison pronounced that the seeds of punning are in the minds of all men, and tho’ they may be subdued by reason, reflection, and good sense, they will be very apt to shoot up in the greatest genius, that which is not broken and cultivated by the rules of art.

Far from being invertebrate, the inveterate punster is a brave entertainer. He or she loves to create a three-ring circus of words: words clowning, words teetering on tightropes, words swinging from tent tops, words thrusting their head into the mouths of lions. Punnery can be highly entertaining, but it is always a risky business. The humor can fall on its face, it can lose its balance and plunge into the sawdust, or it can be decapitated by the snapping shut of jaws.
While circus performers often receive laughter or applause for their efforts, punsters often draw an obligatory groan for theirs. But the fact that most people groan at, rather than laugh at, puns doesn’t mean that the punnery isn’t fu

… keep reading on reddit ➡

The hidden puns of LexisNexis

Years ago I used to use a LexisNexis database of companies that would give corporate information like name, address, and general business description. While most of them were pretty bland, there were a bunch of them with some really cheesy puns, and over a few years I built quite a collection.

Today I share with you «NEXIS IS RIDICULOUS.txt»:

  • Bucyrus International caters to those who mine their own business.
  • It would be logical for Mr. Spock to boldly go to Vulcan International for rubber products. He might even live long and prosper — in comfortable shoes.
  • What do manufacturer Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) and 1970s band Grand Funk Railroad have in common? They both want you to do the locomotion!
  • Peter Piper can pick more than a peck of peppers or pickles from B&G Foods.
  • Toray Plastics America could sing «foam, foam on the range, where the polyester and polypropylene materials are made» all day.
  • Break out the Tums, because things are awfully gassy over at Air Liquide America.
  • If a tree falls in a Weyerhaeuser forest, someone is there to hear it — and he has a chainsaw.
  • Although not a pushover, you can walk all over Wilsonart International.
  • Here’s a HEICO haiku: HEICO companies/ Providing for jet engines/ In flight or on land.
  • American Italian Pasta Company (AIPC) uses its noodle in many different ways.
  • The golf industry doesn’t mind when Aldila gives it the shaft.
  • Rat-a-tat-tat and a ringa-ding-ding. What’s that? Answer: The sounds emanating from Pearl, one of the world’s foremost makers of drums and other percussion and musical instruments.
  • Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics deals powders and crystal, but there’s no need to call the cops.
  • Pamida Stores Operating Company offers more small-town values than a bandwagon of Republicans on the campaign trail.
  • Like a tight end, offshore drilling contractor Transocean dreams of going deep but doesn’t mind eating a little mud.
  • Rittal me this, Batman!
  • Utility Trailer Manufacturing is spreading its own brand of reefer madness.
  • Who is the Fresh Prince of Sullair?
  • If GrafTech International were a bard, it could wax poetic in an ode to the electrode.
  • When it comes to adhesives and vibration control products, LORD knows.
  • You might say that Deere & Company enjoys its customers going to seed.
  • Pfizer pfabricates pfarmaceuticals pfor quite a pfew inpfirmities.
  • Stripping is OK at Spraylat.
  • Don’t think Seton is

… keep reading on reddit ➡

Pulled a nice one at dinner with my mother (may be confusing for non-Spanish speakers)

We went out to eat at a Cuban place and my mother had ordered some food with a side of tostones (a plantain dish). She complained that they had too much garlic to which I made a joke:

«Yeah, as soon as you bit into it, you tatsed the garlic and were like , ‘¡Ajo!‘»

(¡Ajo! is a Spanish exclamatory similar to «ooooooh» or «oh my goodnes.» It doesn’t have a direct English equivalent but that’s what it means. The Spanish word for garlic also happens to be ajo, so I made a pun playing off the dual meaning of the word. Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog. )

Pun Request: Jacob

Hi guys, I love this subreddit for its cringeyness but now I must ask a question.
Do any of you know any puns with the name Jacob or Yakob to put on the back of my senior highschool jacket (just one word).

Thank you,

Puns of Varying Quality on the Subject of Linguistics (created in a fit of procrastinative inspiration) some of which I thought someone, someday might appreciate.

Note: Quality Very Varying (I see what I did there) and sometimes subject to specialist knowledge. So I apologise in advance. Shame me with your better puns.

While I was languishing in the Language Centre, doing some semantics antics and considering how all the other linguistics students despised and derided me, I was accosted by a stout man with large glasses who made me a preposition. It was that I should collect terrible puns, to do with linguistics, in order to ingratiate myself yet further with the other linguistics students (including even the phonetics fanatics).

I’m struggling to think of a pun to do with grammaticality that both makes sense and «Is grandma tickly?» correct. I’m also stuck on ‘morphologician’. (I’m not actually sure that’s a particularly logical word for the subject, though I guess that’s more for, er, more for a logician to worry about.)

The problem I have with writing about phonological variation is that one is constantly forced to choose between being fun or logical — very Asian!I always get in trouble with electricians, they think I’m calling them a ‘dialectician’ whereas in fact I’m just saying «Die, electrician.»

I like pscycholinguistics – the only department of linguistics where it’s acceptable to wear a cycle helmet.
My Australian accent is terrible but I like to think my Sath Efrican one is predicate.
My favourite accent is Received Pronunciation, because it is the accent chiefly used by invisible Japanese people who are ordered online. When the first recipient of an invisible Japanese person got the parcel, they wrote a complaint saying «Received but can’t see Asian» and the name stuck.

Why did the speakers whose native languages weren’t English, but whose only shared language was English, but they weren’t very good at it and kept on having to stop to think about it, stop talking to one another? They came to an agreement. (Get it? If not, write your answer on a pastecard and paste it to the below address.)

What did the ‘a’ say to the ‘the’? «You definitely are ticklish, ‘the’!»

Why was the small man eaten by the large bear, which was proportionately bigger than him? It had, er, relative claws.

I think the reason there are so many speakers of Russian is because they all partake in an activity called «copulae shun». (Ok, ok, I know, that was Pushkin it.)

I know a man called Hillary who can, might, should, did, must, shall and will ride an ox. We call him «Ox Hillary».

I always think the verb ‘to be’ in the senten

… keep reading on reddit ➡

My friend’s dad’s Facebook posts are golden

*Khakis: What you need to start the car in Boston.

*Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes.

*Doctors tell us there are over seven million people who are overweight. These, of course, are only round figures.

*What do you call a cow who gives no milk?
…A milk dud (or an udder failure)

*There was a terrible fight reported in our local shopping center. It just so happened that a news reporter from one of our local stations was there to record the entire episode. It was an altercation between a prominent dentist and a manicurist. Their disagreement escalated to the point that they wound up fighting each other tooth and nail.

*The little old woman who lived in a shoe wasn’t the sole owner — there were strings attached.

*I recently saw a theatrical performance on puns… turned out, it was just a play on words!

*Have you ever tried watching a magician with an anger management problem? Every time he gets mad, he pulls his hare out!

*If you lose your hearing, is it ear replaceable? -Just wondering

*Harvard has long been known for its championship Rowing team – until this year. They had their first ever indecisive rower… he couldn’t choose either oar.

*I found an excellent seamstress who is so enthusiastic about her work that she’s happy to make a pair of pants for you …or at least sew its seams.

*No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.

*I bought a new weed whacker yesterday & it is cutting-hedge technology!

*Did you see the movie about the hot dog? It was an Oscar Wiener.

*I read about a recent fire at the circus. The heat was in tents.

*I was saddened to hear that our local bakery was going out of business. They said they had decided to stop making donuts after they got tired of the hole thing.

*I decided that becoming a vegetarian was a missed steak.

*Why do seagulls fly over the sea?
…Because if they flew over the bay, they’d be bagels!!

*I wonder if their manure spreader is the only equipment John Deere won’t stand behind.

*I saw a very emotional wedding recently… even the cake was in tiers!

*I’m glad I’m not a cross-eyed teacher… otherwise I’d find it too difficult to control my pupils!

*What time is it when little white flakes fall past the classroom window? …Snow and Tell

*I used to have a fear of hurdles, but I got over it.

*The other day I held the door open for a clown. I thought it was a nice jester.

*What kind of math do Snowy Owls like? …Owlgebra

*What

… keep reading on reddit ➡

A giant list of puns from r/copypasta

A giant list of puns

What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta.

I would avoid the sushi if I was you. It’s a little fishy.

Want to hear a joke about paper? Nevermind it’s tearable.

Why did the cookie cry? Because his father was a wafer so long!

I used to work in a shoe recycling shop. It was sole destroying.

What do you call a belt with a watch on it? A waist of time.

How do you organize an outer space party? You planet.

I went to a seafood disco last week… and pulled a mussel.

Do you know where you can get chicken broth in bulk? The stock market.

I cut my finger chopping cheese, but I think that I may have greater problems.

My cat was just sick on the carpet, I don’t think it’s feline well.

Why did the octopus beat the shark in a fight? Because it was well armed.

How much does a hipster weigh? An instagram.

What did daddy spider say to baby spider? You spend too much time on the web.

Atheism is a non-prophet organisation.

There’s a new type of broom out, it’s sweeping the nation.

What cheese can never be yours? Nacho cheese.

What did the Buffalo say to his little boy when he dropped him off at school? Bison.

Have you ever heard of a music group called Cellophane? They mostly wrap.

Why does Superman gets invited to dinners? Because he is a Supperhero.

How was Rome split in two? With a pair of Ceasars.

The shovel was a ground breaking invention.

A scarecrow says, «This job isn’t for everyone, but hay, it’s in my jeans.»

A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog stand and says, «Make me one with everything.»

Did you hear about the guy who lost the left side of his body? He’s alright now.

What do you call a girl with one leg that’s shorter than the other? Ilene.

I did a theatrical performance on puns. It was a play on words.

What do you do with a dead chemist? You barium.

I bet the person who created the door knocker won a Nobel prize.

Towels can’t tell jokes. They have a dry sense of humor.

Two birds are sitting on a perch and one says «Do you smell fish?»

Do you know sign language? You should learn it, it’s pretty handy.

What do you call a beautiful pumpkin? GOURDgeous.

Why did one banana spy on the other? Because she was appealing.

What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.

What do you call a cow with two legs? Lean beef.

What do you call a cow with all of its legs? High steaks.

A cross eyed teacher couldn’t control his pupils.

After the accident, the juggler didn’t have the balls to do it.

I used to be afraid of hu

… keep reading on reddit ➡

514 Dad Jokes

What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta.

I would avoid the sushi if I was you. It’s a little fishy.

Want to hear a joke about paper? Nevermind it’s tearable.

Why did the cookie cry? Because his father was a wafer so long!

I used to work in a shoe recycling shop. It was sole destroying.

What do you call a belt with a watch on it? A waist of time.

How do you organize an outer space party? You planet.

I went to a seafood disco last week… and pulled a mussel.

Do you know where you can get chicken broth in bulk? The stock market.

I cut my finger chopping cheese, but I think that I may have greater problems.

My cat was just sick on the carpet, I don’t think it’s feline well.

Why did the octopus beat the shark in a fight? Because it was well armed.

How much does a hipster weigh? An instagram.

What did daddy spider say to baby spider? You spend too much time on the web.

Atheism is a non-prophet organisation.

There’s a new type of broom out, it’s sweeping the nation.

What cheese can never be yours? Nacho cheese.

What did the Buffalo say to his little boy when he dropped him off at school? Bison.

Have you ever heard of a music group called Cellophane? They mostly wrap.

Why does Superman gets invited to dinners? Because he is a Supperhero.

How was Rome split in two? With a pair of Ceasars.

The shovel was a ground breaking invention.

A scarecrow says, «This job isn’t for everyone, but hay, it’s in my jeans.»

A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog stand and says, «Make me one with everything.»

Did you hear about the guy who lost the left side of his body? He’s alright now.

What do you call a girl with one leg that’s shorter than the other? Ilene.

I did a theatrical performance on puns. It was a play on words.

What do you do with a dead chemist? You barium.

I bet the person who created the door knocker won a Nobel prize.

Towels can’t tell jokes. They have a dry sense of humor.

Two birds are sitting on a perch and one says «Do you smell fish?»

Do you know sign language? You should learn it, it’s pretty handy.

What do you call a beautiful pumpkin? GOURDgeous.

Why did one banana spy on the other? Because she was appealing.

What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.

What do you call a cow with two legs? Lean beef.

What do you call a cow with all of its legs? High steaks.

A cross eyed teacher couldn’t control his pupils.

After the accident, the juggler didn

… keep reading on reddit ➡

from the ask reddit thread on lame jokes.

  • I tried to catch some fog. I mist.
  • When chemists die, they barium.
  • Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.
  • A soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.
  • I know a guy who’s addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop any time.
  • How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it.
  • I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.
  • This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I’d never met herbivore.
  • I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I can’t put it down.
  • I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.
  • They told me I had type A blood, but it was a type-O.
  • This dyslexic man walks into a bra.
  • I didn’t like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.
  • A cross-eyed teacher lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils.
  • When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.
  • What does a clock do when it’s hungry? It goes back four seconds.
  • I wondered why the ball was getting bigger. Then it hit me!
  • Broken pencils are pointless.
  • What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.
  • England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.
  • I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.
  • I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx.
  • I took the job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.
  • Velcro — what a rip off!
  • Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are sketchy.

Pun overload!

My Dad sent me this list of punny sayings last Christmas. It explains a lot…

Punny sayings!

I tried to catch some Fog. I mist.

When chemists die, they barium.

Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.

A soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

I know a guy who’s addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop any time.

How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it.

I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.

This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I’d never met herbivore.

I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I can’t put it down.

I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.

They told me I had type A blood, but it was a Type-O.

A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

PMS jokes aren’t funny, period.

Why were the Indians here first? They had reservations.

Class trip to the Coca-Cola factory. I hope there’s no pop quiz.

Energizer bunny arrested. Charged with battery.

I didn’t like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.

Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils?

When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

What does a clock do when it’s hungry? It goes back four seconds.

Broken pencils are pointless.

What do you call a dinosaur with a extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.

England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.

I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.

I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx.

All the toilets in New York ‘s police stations have been stolen.

Police have nothing to go on.

I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.

Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes.

Velcro — what a rip off!

Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are sketchy.

Venison for dinner? Oh deer!

Earthquake in Washington obviously government’s fault.

I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.

Please note that this site uses cookies to personalise content and adverts, to provide social media features, and to analyse web traffic. Click here for more information.

So the other day I was chatting with one of my best friends and she sent me a link with loads of beautifully illustrated puns in English. Along with the link, she wrote: “There you go, for your blog!”. And boooooy, was she right! It is not rare to find illustrated puns nowadays, given the rise of memes a few years ago. However, although they can still be just as funny, most of them are not professionally illustrated. For this reason, I absolutely love it when I come across a collection of English puns with fabulous illustrations, so I can’t help sharing them with you guys.

Puns In English

  1. What are «puns»?
  2. Puns in English
    • 1. Feeling unwell
    • 2. A special kind of dinosaur
    • 3. A curious alligator
    • 4. What a party!
    • 5. Poor cow!
    • 6. Goldfish go to war
    • 7. A talkative potato
    • 8. A working frog
    • 9. Going vegetarian
    • 10. Who’s faster?
    • 11. A cool magician
    • 12. Cloudy clothes
    • 13. A lazy kangaroo
    • 14. Off to college!
    • 15. Yummy!

What are «puns»?

That being said, for those of you who can’t remember what puns are, let me enlighten you. According to Oxford Dictionaries, a pun is

a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings.

I already wrote an introduction to puns in a very old post “Things Are Getting Punny“, in case you want to check it out before reading on. But for those of you who are already familiar with puns, let’s begin with these 15 puns that will keep you smiling this week. What I’ll do is list the punny pictures with a related title, and explain the pun below each image. I know that explaining jokes is a bit of a putoff, but I believe it necessary in this case for learning purposes. Let’s get on with this!

Puns in English

1. Feeling unwell

Explanation: Pail vs pale: while “pale” means that your face is whiter than usual, like when you’re feeling unwell, “pail” is simply a synonym of “bucket”, which is an object that you normally use to carry water or some other liquid.

2. A special kind of dinosaur

Explanation: Thesaurus: a “thesaurus” is a book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts. You can check out an online thesaurus here.

3. A curious alligator

Explanation: In + vest + gator: an “gator” or “alligator” is an animal similar to a crocodile. A “vest” is the garment that the alligator is wearing in the picture. An “investigator” is a person who carries out inquiries or investigations, like a detective.

4. What a party!

Explanation: Planet vs Plan it: the word “planet” is almost identically pronounced as the combination “plan it”. So how do you plan a space party (space = where planets are)? You planet! haha

5. Poor cow!

Explanation: Ground vs Ground (past participle of grind) + beef: so “beef” is what we usually call the flesh of a cow, bull or ox as food. A way of preparing this meat is to “mince” or “grind” it, which means to cut it or crush it into tiny pieces. The past participle of “grind” is “ground”, as in the  surface of the Earth. So a cow that can’t stand up and is always on the ground, having no legs, is ground beef. Poor thing!

6. Goldfish go to war

Explanation: Tank (war tank) vs tank (fish tank): goldfish are a the typical fish we keep at home in fish tanks. The funny thing here is that they are in a proper war tank rather than in a regular fish tank. And they have no idea what to do now, apparently.

7. A talkative potato

Explanation: Everyday vs common vs comment / potato vs commentator: in this case we have an analogy between the pronunciations of “common” and “comment”, which are quite similar. Also, there’s the closeness in meaning between “everyday”(adj.) and “common”. Finally, there’s the fact that “tater” is an informal way of saying “potato”, and happens to be pronounced the same as the ending “-tator”.

8. A working frog

Explanation: Hop vs jump vs bellhop (job): one of the things we know about frogs is that they can jump or “hop”, which is a synonym. As for “bellhop”, it is a synonym of “bellboy”, which refers to a person who works in a hotel performing services such as carrying guests’ luggage.

9. Going vegetarian

Explanation: Missed steak vs mistake: this pun exploits the similarity in pronunciation between the words “missed steak”, as in missing (=wanting but not having) a steak (=a kind of meat slice), and “mistake” (=doing something wrong).

10. Who’s faster?

Explanation: Cheetah vs cheater / lion vs lying: in this picture there are two puns. The first one is that of “you cheetah” (cheetah, the animal) and “you (are a) cheater” (cheater, someone who cheats to win). The second one is that of “you lion” (lion, the animal) and “you (are) lying” (lying, not telling the truth).  Both “cheetah” and “cheater” sound the same, while “lion” and “lying” sound very similar. That, plus the fact that they are actually a lion and a cheetah, makes the pun funny.

11. A cool magician

Explanation: Hoodini vs Houdini: in English we represent the call of owls as “hoo”, an onomatopoeia. This sounds exactly the same as the first syllable in “Houdini”, the surname of one of the greatest magicians and escape artists of all time.

12. Cloudy clothes

Explanation: Thunder vs under: “thunder”, as you probably know, is the loud rumbling or crashing noise heard after a lightning flash. Except for the “th-“/θ/, both “thunder” and “under” are pronounced the same. That similarity, and the fact that both clouds and thunder are weather-related words, make the pun here.

13. A lazy kangaroo

Explanation: Pouch vs couch: while a “pouch” is a pocket-like bag that marsupials (e.g. wallabies, kangaroos, etc.) have in order to carry their babies, a “couch” is a sofa. The expression “couch potato” refers to a person who takes little or no exercise and watches a lot of television. So the pun here comes about when we notice the similar pronunciations of “couch” and “pouch”.

14. Off to college!

Explanation: Bison vs Bye, son: a “bison” is another word used for “buffalo”, although technically they are not the same species. The pronunciation of “bison” is very similar to “bye, son!”, as in saying goodbye to your son who is going to college.

15. Yummy!

Explanation: Gum (as in chewing gum) vs gum (flesh around teeth): a “gummy bear” is a famous kind of candy like the one drawn above, isn’t it? They are called “gummy” because of the substance they are made of, resembling proper gum. However, another meaning of “gum” is the flesh in our mouths to which teeth are attached. For this reason, a bear without teeth would be a gummy bear.


My friend sent me these puns through 9GAG, an awesome site where you can find great memes and other interesting illustrations. You can download most of these memes as one single picture here, but they were all illustrated by arseniic, so go to her profile on DeviantArt and check out more of her illustrations and plenty more punny pictures. They’re great!

Also, read more puns here, with explanations in Spanish: juegos de palabras en inglés.

If you liked this post, please ratecomment and share. Don’t forget to keep up with KSE’s latest news on FacebookTwitter YouTube, and don’t forget to Keep Smiling! 

These jokes have definitely groan on us!

woman laughing to herself
Shutterstock

Puns are some of the best—and also worst—jokes on the planet. You can make a pun about anything: There are cat puns, egg puns, cheese puns, coffee puns, and many, many other types of puns. But while all puns are an achievement in word-smithery to some degree, one genre of pun stands out above the rest as the most advanced. That genre is puns about puns.

Sure, you might think it’d be easy to make a pun about a pun. Really, all you need to do is replace the prefix un- with pun- and you’re good to go. But we promise, if you execute one of these puns about puns with the perfect timing, you’ll be the envy of all your cheesy joke-making friends. Ahead, find the best puns about puns that are pun-believably hilarious.

1. How would you describe a pun about a pun?

They’re pun-ishingly bad!

2. Why do thieves have a hard time understanding puns?

Because they take things literally!

3. Do you have something against puns?

No, I’m not homophonic!

4. What did the pun mom say to the new pun dad?

We have a pun in the oven!

5. What happened when the pun misbehaved in school?

He was pun-alized with detention!

6. What’s a pun’s favorite movie?

It’s a Punderful Life!

7. Have you ever tried to write your own puns?

It’s a fairly difficult pun-dertaking!

8. What type of apartment does a pun live in?

The pun-thouse!

9. Why did the two puns go to camp together?

They wanted to be pun-kmates!

10. What a pun’s dream job?

To be an acu-pun-cturist!

11. What did the pun say to his annoying colleague?

You’re being pun-reasonable right now!

12. Why did the pun fail his English class?

He didn’t use proper pun-ctuation!

13. Why was the pun a bad comedian?

He never got the pun-chline right!

14. What’s a pun’s favorite love song?

«My Punny Valentine!»

15. What’s a pun’s best trait?

His pun-ctuality!

16. How were these puns about puns?

They were pun-questionably pun-fortunate!

17. Did you expect to laugh at them?

No, but they’ve groan on me!

The thing about puns on puns is it really is a play on words that you either get, or you give. These puns are nothing more than witty banter, but in this case it is always better to be the giver than the receiver. See if you can wrap your head around these 63 puns about puns before the joke is literally on you. Then you can continue with these pokemon puns.

Best Puns About Puns

best puns about puns


1. Anyone who is unable to make dirty p*u*n*s has clearly lost all of their crud ability.


2. I bet that you were not aware of the fact that p*u*n*s are the highest form of literature.


3. Speaking of p*u*n*s, I think have mood poisoning. Must be something that I hate.


4. I don’t mind if smiles come at my expense after telling my p*u*n*s, that’s a small price to pay.


5. The Buddhist asked the hot dog vendor to make him one with everything.


6. I bet that you didn’t know that p*u*n*s are a form of humor spoken with words.


7. P*u*n*s are nothing more than the droppings of some soaring wits.


8. To be hung is simply too good for a man who makes too many p*u*n*s; he should actually be drawn and quoted.


9. The pun is considered to be the lowest form of humor, that is unless you thought of it yourself.


10. Make sure that you always say “no pun intended”, in order to draw in attention to that intended pun.


11. A pun is nothing more than a short quip followed by a long groan.


12. The lurking pun is probably the worst pun because the offender has been waiting to spring it on you.


13. A theatrical performance on p*u*n*s is really just a play on words.


14. I’m willing to bet that you did not know that a good pun is its own re-word.


15. Very hard to explain p*u*n*s to those kleptomaniacs because they keep taking them literally.


16. When the pun is considered to be the lowest form of wit, then it’s the foundation of wit too.


17. P*u*n*s are like the gag hand-buzzers of our conversation because it hurts just a little bit, but everyone still gets a good laugh.


18. Those p*u*n*s about p*u*n*s were certainly getting bigger, then it hit me.


19. I tried reading a book about gravity p*u*n*s but it was really impossible to put down.


20. That guy who is always telling p*u*n*s had his left side cut off, now he is all right.


21. Just in case you forget about how to use boomerang p*u*n*s, wait a second because it will come back to you.


22. P*u*n*s are not only the lowest form of wit, they really are the lowest form of human behavior.


23. A long time ago I used to be good at word play, but that was once a pun a time.


24. Don’t have to be so pessimistic about p*u*n*s, it will never work anyway.


25. Tequila might not fix your addiction to p*u*n*s, but it is worth a shot.


26. When you trip over that pun in your speaking, it really isn’t so bad. If you intentionally jump on one, then it is a true offense.


27. I’m known as an incorrigible p*u*n*ster, so please do not incorrige me.


28. A pun is like music, two strings of thought will be tangled into one acoustic knot.


29. Those who dislike p*u*n*s the most are those who are least able to utter them.


30. If you want to know the goodness of a pun, it’s in direct ratio of its intolerability.


31. Bet you were not aware of the fact that groaning and telling p*u*n*s are brothers.


32. Most people do not get p*u*n*s, but they think that they are funny.


33. P*u*n*s about stairs should never be trusted because they are always up to something.


34. You could not see a good cow pun it if was actually steering you in your face.


35. When that doctor promises to tell good maternity p*u*n*s, he delivers.


36. The only people who really hate p*u*n*s are those that are laughtose intolerant!


37. That pun the civics teacher told will go down in history.


38. Those p*u*n*s about floating never seem to go down to well.


39. Bet you didn’t know that skeleton p*u*n*s are rib-tickling.


40. If your friends try to annoy you with bird p*u*n*s, remember that toucan play that game.


41. The biggest difference between a good pun and a great one, clause and effect.


42. So my doctor says my obsession with p*u*n*s is just a phrase I’m going through.


43. Cleverness and funniness are two notable factors for rating p*u*n*s, the third has groan in significance.


44. Puncakes should always be served syruptitiously.


45. Wonder if you knew that a pun that is spun with good yarn is fabricated.


46. Health-related p*u*n*s are not funny, especially if you are suffering from irony deficiency.


47. That book about p*u*n*s was simply two meaningful.


48. No wonder forklift operators hate p*u*n*s, they find them unpalletable.


49. That man’s igneous p*u*n*s were found to be written in stone.


50. P*u*n*s that joke about monorails always make decent one-liners.


51. The bakery that was serving p*u*n*s all day decided to name their sandwich the punini.


52. The couple had to file for divorce because the husband loved a good play on words but his wife couldn’t take the pun-ishment.


53. When a joke is owned like you own land, good p*u*n*s would simply go undeeded.


54. That grammarian was always on time, in fact, you could say he was punctual.


55. She took it a-pun herself to find a good pun.


56. P*u*n*s seam to be tailored for tailors because they have them in stitches.


57. Wonder if anyone realized that if you go seven days without a pun it equals one weak.


58. Is there anyway to tell if p*u*n*s are for kids or for groan-ups?


59. The pun is the worst vice, and there is no vice versa.


60. You will always find thirsty joke tellers waiting in the punch line.


61. The only subject you can not make a pun about is the king, because the king isn’t a subject.


62. The pun is very pun-ctual. He is never late for work or appointments, even just one second.


63. The pun daughter wants to become an acu-pun-cturist when she grows up.


These 63 goofy puns on puns are only offensive if you get the joke, otherwise, you are going to be scratching your head wondering why they keep sailing over your head.

Want more funny things? Read our most recent post: Funny Puns, Bad Puns: Different Possible Meanings From The Same Word or these great rock puns.

Skip to content

English Puns (aka ‘Dad Jokes’)

English Puns (aka ‘Dad Jokes’)


A pun /ˈpʌn/ is a play on words for comic effect, often highlighting their pronunciation, so it’s safe to say we like a good pun at Pronunciation Studio. Here are a few of our favourites that will hopefully make you laugh, but will more likely make you cringe:

“What time do you have to go to the dentist?”
“Tooth hurtie.”

The time ‘two thirty’ is pronounced as a homophone with ‘tooth hurtie’, as it would be in connected speech: /ˌtuːθ ˈɜːti/. The ‘h’ in ‘hurtie’  isn’t heard clearly whether you pronounce it or not, as the voiceless fricative /θ/ is directly before it.

“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”

Perhaps the most famous of all puns, this by Groucho Marx plays on the homonym (both a homograph and a homophone) of the word ‘flies’ pronounced /ˈflaɪz/ which is both the verb ‘to fly’ in the third person, and the noun ‘fly’ in its plural form. It also plays on different uses of the word ‘like’ which is a preposition in the first sentence and a verb in the second.

‘Dad Jokes’

Unfortunately, puns are particularly popular with middle aged men, who have a unique brand of pun called a ‘dad joke’. These are generally highly predictable and nearly always produce a sigh of disapproval in the poor listener. In fact, dad jokes are like jokes about paper, they’re tearable.

https://pronunciationstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dad-jokes.mp3

We apologise for the puns in this article, please post better ones in the comments section below. 

Title

THIS WEEK’S PRONUNCIATION LESSON

British English IPA Variations

Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9BB

0207 4040777
info@pronunciationstudio.com

Copyright 2008 – 2023 Pronunciation Studio Ltd | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy

Page load link

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

English Puns: How to Play Confidently With Words

10 min

Created: January 30th, 2023Last updated: April 3rd, 2023

English Puns

Contents

English is a language full of fun and creativity. Using an English pun is one way many people appreciate words’ creative power. The punning game allows you to think on your feet lightheartedly with friends and family – the aim is to trap them using tricky wordplay! Learning the language with a few puns of your own will add another dimension to your repertoire, enabling you to charm and delight at any gathering. This guide provides pointers for mastering the art of wordplay, giving you the confidence to amaze your audience.

What Are Puns?

A pun is a wordplay where two or more similar-sounding words are used in the same sentence. The humor comes from understanding multiple meanings behind one word; think of it as putting your brain into overdrive. It’s a great way to extend conversations, spark ideas, and lighten the mood.

Puns are hugely popular among English-speaking communities, and you’ll see them used in books, movies, and comics. They are great if you want to convey your message and impress people simultaneously!

While some famous puns are straightforward, others may require some thinking to decipher. Some words can even be quite abstract or difficult to understand – don’t worry if you find it hard at first! It’ll take some practice, but with sufficient dedication and enthusiasm, you should soon master the art of English wordplay.

When to Use Puns in Your English Conversation?

Funny English puns can be used in almost any conversation, but they usually work best when lighter topics arise. It’s an excellent way to inject fun and humor into everyday conversations – like talking about food or animals. 

Additionally, puns can be used in more serious discussions; if you spot an opportunity for a clever play of words to liven up the atmosphere, go ahead and make it – but remember not to overdo it. You don’t want to be seen as a try-hard in conversations! Timing is everything with puns; knowing when and how to work them into your speech will add value.

As with all humor, the context and responses should determine your next move. Use puns if they fit naturally into conversations; remember that some people might be too serious to appreciate wordplay. So, pay attention to how others react before continuing with a string of jokes.

Pun Words List: 20 Funny English Wordplay Ideas

To help you get started with the wordplay, we’ve compiled a list of pun expressions with the explanation behind the jokes. Read through the list and pick a few common puns to practice using in conversations.

  • Why was Dumbo sad? He felt irrelephant.

This pun uses two similar-sounding words («irrelevant» and «elephant») to make a joke out of the famous Disney character Dumbo. The mockery is that Dumbo, often lonely and sad in the movie, felt irrelevant in the circus.

  • What did the grape say when it was crushed? Nothing – it just gave out a little wine.

The idea behind this pun is the homophonous sound between the words «whine» and «wine.» It implies that grapes produce wine instead of whining out in frustration when crushed.

  • Can February March? No, but April May.

The words «march» and «may» create a funny phrase with a double meaning. May, in addition to being a month, is also an auxiliary verb similar to «can.» It’s an example of the classic pun technique known as homophones – words with similar sounds.

  • Why can’t you trust atoms? They make up everything!

It uses the phrase «make up» in two ways – one meaning to form something, and another meaning to fabricate or lie. It is an example of how word puns convey multiple definitions in a single sentence.

  • I don’t trust stairs because they’re always up to something.

It combines two concepts to make a joke. The phrase «up to something» usually implies deceit or mischief, but this pun plays on the fact that stairs are literally always up.

  • Becoming a vegetarian is one big missed steak.

It is another great example in our puns words list that plays on the similarity of «mistake» and «missed steak.» It implies that vegetarianism is a mistake, but in a humorous way.

  • What did the traffic light say to the car? Don’t look. I’m about to change!

This wordplay uses «change» with two separate meanings – one is to transform from red or green, and another is to dress in different clothes. 

  • A boiled egg every morning is hard to beat.

As most people know, «hard-boiled eggs» are popular snacks. This pun uses the phrase to suggest that having a boiled egg for breakfast is unbeatable – adding humor to this everyday activity.

  • My math teacher called me average. Well, that’s just mean.

While the term «average» usually means regular or standard, the pun in this sentence plays on how it can also be interpreted as cruel or unkind. A «mean» also refers to a mathematical concept, completing the double entendre.

  • A backward poet writes inverse.

Backward poetry is a type of creative writing that can be read either backward or forward. The pun here plays on «inverse,» making a joke about how a backward poet writes.

  • To the guy who invented zero, thanks for nothing.

Using the word «zero» as a concept of nothing – this wordplay simultaneously humorously expresses gratitude and sarcasm. 

  • Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

It is a classic play on words, taking the idiom «time flies like an arrow» and turning it into something humorous. The pun is made by replacing «arrow» with the word «banana,» implying that any kind of fruit flies in the same manner.

  • How do construction workers party? They raise the roof.

This pun relies on two phrases – «raise the roof» is a metaphor for going wild and having fun, while it also describes what construction workers physically do to build houses. 

  • What did one ocean say to the other? Nothing, they just waved!

Here’s one pun that uses a popular idiom in an unexpected manner. «Waving» is a gesture of greeting, while waves are also what seas and oceans consist of. 

  • What was Forrest Gump’s email password? 1forrest1

A famous quote, «Run Forrest, Run!» from the movie Forrest Gump, inspires this pun. The word «one» sounds similar to «run,» hence the combination in this joke.

  • The best time to open a gift is the present.

This pun combines two meanings of the word «present» – a physical gift and the current time. It is an excellent way to inject wit into conversations about gifting.

  • Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? I heard the food was good, but it had no atmosphere.

While «atmosphere» usually refers to a pleasant setting, this pun uses the word’s literal meaning to create comedy. After all, the moon has no atmosphere!

  • A man sued an airline company after it lost his luggage. Sadly, he lost his case.

As the word «case» usually means either a legal action or an item of luggage, this pun combines the two ideas to suggest both were lost.

  • Sleeping comes so naturally to me. I could do it with my eyes closed.

This pun uses the phrase «with my eyes closed» as a literal and figurative. Literally, it suggests that sleeping is done without your eyes open, and figuratively, it implies that it requires no effort.

  • Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

With the word «tie,» this pun combines two meanings – one means the outcome of a race, and another refers to actual ties made from silk.

5

How to Make Puns Like a Pro

The art of punning is more than just thinking up clever plays on words; you’ll need to ensure your wordplay lands the right way at the correct time. Here are some tips for making good English puns:

  • Understand the different types of puns. Depending on the purpose, there are different types of puns. Homophones, for example, are when two words with different spelling and the same pronunciation are used, while homographs occur when you play around with multiple meanings of a single word.
  • Increase your vocabulary. A good pun depends heavily on your knowledge of English words. Thus, it is essential to develop a diverse vocabulary by exposing yourself to different texts or activities; the more you read, watch and listen to the language, the better equipped you will be. Resources like WordHippo can provide you with alternatives and meanings of the specified word.
  • Practice your delivery. Practice makes perfect! You can exercise making puns even when not having conversations – make sentences with clever double meanings behind them, or look for pun words in everyday situations. The more you create, the quicker your brain finds opportunities for puns.
  • Know the imperfections of the language. Understanding confusing grammar rules or tricky spellings is half the battle in punning. Misplaced punctuation or misspelled words can be used to come up with some genuinely witty puns.
  • Familiarize yourself with popular puns. Take note of the English phrases and jokes that appear in everyday conversations. Knowing these will help you be one step ahead, giving you more time for the laugh factor to kick in. For instance, you can use Quizlet to find flashcards with pun phrases and study them. 
  • Have a good balance of jokes and conversations. It would be unwise to fill too many words with puns that make you appear unapproachable or immature. As such, pick the right moments to inject jokes. Otherwise, you risk overwhelming your audience and turning them off.

While puns may seem challenging to master, remember that we all started somewhere. With practice and enthusiasm, making punny words can be an enjoyable way to express yourself and lighten the mood. And these tips should give you the confidence to start playing with words in English.

Promova – an all-round platform for English learners

At Promova, we understand the challenges of learning English and are dedicated to creating a balanced program for all. In addition to finding a suitable teacher or course material, learners can also discover a range of activities that further increase their knowledge, such as blog posts on vocabulary and grammar topics.

We provide group classes and 1:1 sessions and create personalized schedules, aiming to give the most suitable teaching approach based on individual needs. Our experienced tutors come from different countries and have a proven track record of helping learners gain proficiency in the language. 

Our mobile app enables learners to practice their English anytime and anywhere. By allowing them to use features such as our built-in dictionary, word lists, and quizzes, learners can improve their speaking, writing, and comprehension of the language on the go.

Conclusion

English puns are a great way to exercise your creativity and quick-thinking skills. They make conversations more enjoyable and add a unique charm to your language. The word puns list from this article will get you started with the basics; as you go on, all your punning skills will improve with time.

With a few tips and practice, you’ll soon be able to confidently show off your wordplay talent and inject humor into conversations. Take note of the different types and familiarize yourself with popular puns – soon enough, you’ll be entertaining family and friends with these witty plays on words!

FAQ

What is a pun?

It is when you use two similar-sounding words in the same sentence to create a comedic effect. It’s an interesting play on words that requires some thinking power to decipher. The humor comes from understanding the multiple meanings behind one word.

Are puns a good way to improve English?

Yes, absolutely. Learning the language with clever wordplays will add another dimension to your repertoire and can be a great way to practice your verbal creativity. Puns are also popular among the English-speaking community and used in books and movies – learning them will give you a better insight into the language and culture.

How to make a pun?

First, learn some basic English funny phrases and practice with them regularly. Increase your vocabulary by exploring different texts or activities, and know when to deliver clever wordplay. Pay attention to the context, timing, and reactions of people around you – if it fits naturally into conversations, go ahead!

When is the best time to use puns?

Puns work great in conversations about lighter topics, such as food or animals. It’s also an excellent way to liven up a more serious discussion. Pay attention to the context and reactions of people around you – don’t be too forceful with puns, or you might be seen as a try-hard.

pun1Будучи активным посетителем и читателем разных блогов, посвященных английскому языку, я часто сталкиваюсь с мнением людей, что англичане совсем не умеют шутить. Их чопорный и иногда заносчивый юмор не вызывает ни приступов смеха, ни даже тени улыбки. В чем проблема? Почему нам бывает трудно понять универсальный язык смеха? Неужели наше чувство юмора настолько отличается от английского?

Большинство шуток в английском основаны на каламбуре, его высочестве pun. Каламбур (pun) – это игра слов, небольшое остроумное высказывание, построенное на многозначности слов. А в английском языке почти каждое второе слово может похвастаться не только двумя разными значениями, но зачастую десятью или двадцатью. Отсюда и выходит, что английский – это очень благодатная почва для игры слов. В русском языке тоже есть подобные шутки:

– Официант, это курица?
– Нет, это пьется.
(«курица» созвучно «курится», поэтому такой ответ официанта)

Игру слов часто используют в рекламе и литературных произведениях. Каламбуры бывают разных типов, о них мы и поговорим в этой статье.

Homophonic puns. Омофоны

Юмористический эффект в омофонах достигается за счет того, что слова произносятся одинаково, но пишутся по-разному, соответственно, это абсолютно разные по смыслу слова. Например, board (доска) и bored (заскучавший), weight (вес) и wait (ждать), flower (цветок) и flour (мука).

– Why is it so wet in England?
– Because many kings and queens have reigned (rained) there.

Переводить каламбур на русский язык крайне сложно, а порой невозможно. Ведь reign (править) и rain (идет дождь) в русском не имеют ничего общего по звучанию. Выходит, что если нам кто-то переведет дословно шутку, то ничего смешного в ней не останется. Поэтому мы решили тоже не переводить шутки в статье. Но предлагаем вам кликать 2 раза на незнакомое вам слово, чтобы в правом нижнем углу появился словарик, по которому вы сможете посмотреть, что значит каждое слово, и понять шутку.

– Good heavens! What’s this?
– It’s bean soup.
– I don’t care what it’s been. I want to know what it is now!

Homonymic puns. Омонимы

Омонимы – слова, которые пишутся и произносятся одинаково, но имеют разное значение. Например, bank – место, где люди хранят деньги. И to bank on – делать ставку на что-то. Отсюда идет такая шутка: you can never bank on a bank to look after your money. Или такая: two silkworms had a race and ended in a tie (silkworms – шелкопряды, a tie – галстук, in a tie – вничью).

Compound puns. Составной каламбур

Такие шутки основываются на целой цепочке слов, которые при произношении звучат так же, как какое-то другое слово. Для достижения эффекта необходимо использовать несколько слов.

Why can’t you starve in the desert? – Because of all the sand which is there.

Поняли? Прочитайте быстро слова sand which, и из «песок, который» мы получаем sandwich – бутерброд.

Как научиться понимать каламбур

Научиться понимать каламбур трудно, ведь нужно знать много значений одного и того же слова. Но нет ничего невозможного. В этом плане хорошо помогает практика. Чем больше вы читаете такой материал, разбираетесь в значениях, тем легче вам станет потом.

Если вы хотите понимать современные настроения в мире, то советую установить приложения на английском, в которых шутки создаются обычными людьми. Я начинала бороздить английский Интернет с приложения IFunny :) (Android и iOS). Шутки там необычные, современные, часто основаны на игре слов. Но будьте осторожны: цензуры на ресурсе практически нет. Вам представят все, что людям кажется забавным. Зато из личного наблюдения скажу, что потом переводы шуток, которые я видела на IFunny :), я встречаю в русскоязычном Интернете. И часто качество шуток при переводе страдает. А еще можете следить за новинками в мире каламбура на следующих сайтах: onelinefun.com, pinterest.com.

Также переводные шутки портят впечатление от просмотра сериалов и фильмов, поэтому я всегда советую сразу смотреть их на английском с английскими субтитрами. Особенно это касается комедий. Приведу несколько примеров из моего любимого сериала «Теория Большого Взрыва» (“The Big Bang Theory”). Большинство шуток остроумного доктора Шелдона Купера построено на игре слов. Будьте внимательны и следите за ходом его мыслей. Под видео есть слова с переводом, которые помогут вам понять шутки.

Пенни, напугав Шелдона, спрашивает:

Слова из видео

  • Do you have a second? – Есть минутка (или второй)?
  • A second – второй, запасной (про нижнее белье).

В начале следующего видео собрана серия шуток по поводу того, что в меню китайского ресторана написали в названии соуса mobster (бандит, мафиози) вместо lobster (лобстер).

Слова из видео

  • A typo – опечатка.
  • A front for organized crime – прикрытие для организованной преступности.
  • For all we know – насколько нам известно; из всего, что мы знаем.
  • To contain – включать, содержать.
  • Сhunks – куски.
  • Deceased mobsters – мертвые мафиози.
  • Corleone’s – название пиццерии и имя известного мафиози.

Надеюсь, вы помните, что Раджеш боится общаться с девушками. На этом факте построены многие шутки в сериале, и вот одна из них:

Слова из видео

  • To freak somebody out – выводить из себя, пугать.
  • Ladybug – божья коровка (lady – леди, bug – жук, а по-английски – божья коровка).
  • To render – приводить в какое-то состояние.
  • Сatatonic – оцепеневший, неподвижный.

Как видите, каламбур – это не только стилистический прием из устаревших книг, а вполне живой способ создания юмористического эффекта, и к нему прибегают повсеместно. Хотите проверить себя в каламбуре? Тогда предлагаем вам пройти наш тест, в котором надо сопоставить 2 части шутки:

Тест

Каламбур в английском языке

Сопоставьте 2 части так, чтобы получилась шутка.

What kind of paper likes music?

What do the poor have that the rich don’t want?

Why are you eating those electric bulbs?

I tried to catch some fog.

Why do cows have bells?

I wondered why the ball was getting bigger.

I’m reading a book about anti-gravity.

I’ve been to the dentist many times.

Nothing.

So I know the drill.

Because their horns don’t work.

I mist.

Because I’m having a light lunch.

Wrapping paper.

Then it hit me.

It’s impossible to put down.

Тест недоступен для мобильных устройств.

Тест недоступен для мобильных устройств.

Если вы нашли ошибку, пожалуйста, выделите фрагмент текста и нажмите Ctrl+Enter.

Wait, wait, wait… You’re looking for puns about puns? Well, I’m not sure what sort of apocalyptic demon you’re trying to summon here, but this is Punpedia, so I guess it’s our duty to help you out. Just know that it can be dangerous if you get too meta with your puns. Don’t go too deep!

If you’ve got any “pun puns” that we don’t, please share them in the comments at the end!

List of Puns About Puns

This list is the current, full collection of homographic and homophonic wordplay on the topic of puns. Each item either describes a direct pun (e.g. fun → pun) or a rule which can describe a set of possible puns. In the latter case, the asterisk (*) character is used to denote one or more letters.

  •  Pun*: Words that begin with “pun” are your entry-level puns about puns: punishment, punisher, punishingly, punt, punter, punchline, punch, punching, punctuate, punditry, pungent, punk, punctuality, punnet, punter,
  • Pen* → Pun*: Words that begin with “pen” are easy ones: punalise (penalise), punalty (penalty), punchant (penchant), puncil, (pencil), pundant (pendant), pundulum (pendulum), punelope (penelope), punetrate (penetrate), punetrating (penetrating), puninsula (peninsula), punicillin (penicillin), punitentiary (penitentiary), puniless (peniless), punnsylvania (pennsylvania), punsioner (pensioner), punsion (pension), puntegon (pentagon), punthouse (penthouse), punultimate (penultimate).
  • Pen → Pun: As in “Can I please borrow your blue pun?”
  • un* → pun*: Some very easy/cheap/corny puns can be made by replacing the prefix “un” with “pun”. There are thousands of words in English that begin with “un” because we use “un” as a prefix to negate a word (e.g. unimportant, uninformed, unsuccessfully, unwrap). So we’ll list a few examples here, and you can check out this list of words starting with “un” to help you create your own. Okay, on to the examples: punstoppable, punderstanding, punemployment, punfortunately, pundertaking, pundoubtably, pundergraduate, puncomfortable, punprecedented, punfamiliar, punlimited, pundertaking, punpredictable, punderstatement, punequivocal, punconstitutional, punquestionably.
  • *pun*: Words which have “pun” in them are easy puns about puns: accupuncture, compunction, counterpunch, expunction, cyberpunk, expunge, homespun, impunity (homographicly), spunky.
  • *bun*: Words which have “bun” in them are easy puns about puns: pundle (bundle), pungalow (bungalow), punkmates (bunkmates), punker (bunker), punghole (bunghole), apundance (abundance), apundantly (abundandly), rampunctious (rambunctious).
  • Fun* → Pun*: Som words starting with “fun” tend to work all right as corny puns (the most famous being “punny”): punny (funny), pundamentally (fundamentally), pundamentalist (fundamentalist), punctionality (functionality), pundraising (fundraising).
  • Or the gravy → Orthography: As in “Would you like tomato sauce orthography?”
  • Or the graphic → Orthographic: As in “This graphic, orthographic by the other artist?” Orthography is the study of spelling and how letters combine to represent sounds and form words.
  • Phoney/Phony → Homophony: As in “Your puns aren’t genuine, they’re homophony.”

As you can see our list is quite short at the moment! If you’ve got any puns about puns to donate, please post them in the comments!

Pun-Related Words

Need more puns than we’ve got? How about trying your hand at inventing some! Here are a bunch words that are related to the idea of wordplay to help you come up with some original puns. Please share your creations in the comments! 🙂

equivoque, paronomasia, paranomasy, repartee, malapropism, malaprop, rhetorical device, neologism, misspelling, alliteration, onomatopeia, idiomatic, rhetoric, word play, wordplay, joke, pun, puns, punning, punster, punner, portmanteau, wombination, cliche, homophone, homograph, rhyme, metonym, metonymy, polysemic, polysemes, pronunciation, mispronunciation, phonemes, word sense, ambiguous, homonym, heteronym, syllable, orthography, polyptoton, humor, humour, assonance, hyperbation, paragram, witty, wit, metalepsis, antiphrasis, ambage, hypallage, ideophone, allusion, agnomination, idiom, metaphoric, double entendre, speech error, badinage, banter, solecism

Did this Punpedia entry help you?

There’s still lots of work to be done on our list of puns about puns, but we want to know: Did you find what you were looking for? If so, great! If not, please let us know in the comments – how can we improve this article? Punpedia is built upon the suggestions made by our community – we wouldn’t be able to do it without you 🙂

Like this post? Please share to your friends:
  • Puns using word pun
  • Put one word from the box
  • Puns for a word
  • Put one suitable word in each space there is a boy to
  • Put on use in a sentence for each word