joke at him vs joke about him

Both "joke at him" and "joke about him" are commonly used phrases in English, but they have different meanings and contexts. "Joke at him" implies making fun of someone directly, while "joke about him" suggests telling jokes or humorous stories related to the person. Therefore, the choice between the two depends on the intended meaning.

Last updated: March 29, 2024 • 1461 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to mean making fun of someone directly.

"joke at him"

This phrase is used when someone is being mocked or made fun of in a direct manner.

Examples:

Don't joke at him; he's feeling sensitive today.
It's not nice to joke at him in front of others.

Show examples from the web [+]

On the inconvenience of a similar joke at this very moment.
Please do not joke at this time.
The big joke at LEGO conventions is the 1x5.
I don't care for governesses to joke at my expense.
Alice told me a joke at lunch.
Having your little joke at my expense.
I was trying to make a joke at your expense.
If you're looking to make a joke at my expense...
I heard this great joke at work.
I made a joke at my ex-wife's expense.
A bad joke at the end of a long shift, but those fireworks are over, I swear.
Fine, make your funny jokes at the expense of the woman with the hole in her skull.
You can still make jokes at this moment
It's always nice to have a joke at the crime scene.
You know, she may be having a bit of fun, a joke at your expense.
This is Mena, this is how I make a joke at people.
I know I've made a lot of jokes at your expense, But I was just having fun.
So I guess the universe is having its little joke at my expense.
School government was always such a joke at my old school.
I've gotten used to making jokes at my own expense.

Alternatives:

tease him
mock him
make fun of him
laugh at him
ridicule him

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to mean telling jokes or humorous stories related to someone.

"joke about him"

This phrase is used when talking about jokes or humorous anecdotes that involve the person as the subject.

Examples:

She loves to joke about him in her stand-up routine.
We were all joking about him at the party last night.

Show examples from the web [+]

Barry tells me you joke about him being a virgin.
It's easy to make jokes about him.
You don't have to make jokes about him.
It's easy to make jokes about him.
Look here, I won't dance another step if you continue to make jokes about him!
And they made a joke about killing him.
We talked about that joke with him.
You shouldn't joke about Kenny being dead.
Koreans never joke about future doctors.
Helen Lombard will make sly and bitter jokes about her friends and...
That's nothing to joke about.
Father, don't joke about it.
Your father used to joke about that.
Civil defense is nothing to joke about.
And don't make any jokes about plastic surgery.
You've used that joke about three or four times now.
23rd-century Stan Orega specialised in jokes about quantum mathematics.
I wouldn't joke about something like that.
Chick told a joke about you being Curious George.
Each letter has a little joke about the competition.

Alternatives:

tell jokes about him
make jokes about him
crack jokes about him
share jokes about him
laugh about him

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joke at him vs joke about him

"joke at him"

"joke about him"

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