in-joke

noun

ˈin-ˌjōk How to pronounce in-joke (audio)
-ˈjōk
: a joke for or about a select group of people

Examples of in-joke in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Fuentes came of age in an ecosystem of edgelord posting and trolling in-jokes. — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026 Instead, the episode, full of in-jokes, served as a salute to his staff, who made up the whole audience that night. — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 22 May 2026 The very best of them contain Easter eggs and in-jokes that only the most committed fans will be able to spot. — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 1 June 2026 The musical, brimming over with Broadway in-jokes and phallic humor, doesn’t build so much as whip itself into a frenzy. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for in-joke

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of in-joke was in 1964

Rhymes for in-joke

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Browse Nearby Words

injoint
in-joke
injucundity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In-joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in-joke. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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