apart from jokes

USAGE SUMMARY

"apart from jokes" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to introduce a contrast to a statement or opinion. For example, "My mother always told me to take my career seriously, apart from jokes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Quite apart from jokes about builders with jeans halfway down their bums, stories of cowboy builders and poor safety records on construction sites discourage the self-respecting young.Another problem is the government's egalitarian enthusiasm to send more people to university.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone was "pleasantly surprised", as she had anticipated a decline in quality from the previous episode, and Kevin Fallon of The Atlantic commented that apart from the Bieber jokes, "the rest of the episode was sharply written and loaded with self-referential jokes".

Wikipedia

Although since it's now on Duchy of Cornwall land, it's actually the property of the Prince of Wales – or perhaps that should be the Prince of Whales?" Apart from cracking bad jokes, one of Kentuck's tasks is to prevent public interaction with beached whales.

The Guardian

When people write in praise of Money – and it's the novel of Amis's that tends to garner the most praise, the great English novel of the 1980s and so on – something they tend to skip over is the misogyny question: nobody wants to be seen to praise a book for being "really great, apart from the rape jokes".

The Guardian

The distinctive element of it, apart from snide, inept joking, is a kind of lazy allusiveness.

The New Yorker

Granted most of the list is good, apart from one obvious joke.

The Guardian - Sport

He has no TV experience - apart, he jokes, from appearing on screen occasionally - but is looking forward to a new challenge.

The Guardian

One of the great things about The Simpsons, apart from the expertly crafted jokes, the sharp social commentary, the puncturing of celebrity ostentation, and the superb characterisation, is the fact that no one ever grows up.

Independent

Not a lot, it seems, apart from a lot of jokes about the taste-vacuum and technological primordial swamp that was the mid-80s, written by people who secretly consider it the high point of their lives.

The Guardian - Film

Apart from a few mild jokes, it was a vigorous attack on Helms over a set of economic-populist pocketbook issues that Gantt hopes will move a majority of North Carolina voters to choose him: Helms's record of not supporting Social Security, his votes to curb the growth of Medicare spending, his votes against increases in the minimum wage, and so on.

The New Yorker

It's the longest-standing joke apart from Mornington Crescent, and it's all made up by readers.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the formality of your writing; while acceptable in most contexts, more formal writing may benefit from alternatives like "with the exception of jokes".

Common error

Avoid using "apart from jokes" when you intend to say jokes were completely absent; the phrase implies they were considered but excluded. If there were no jokes, state it directly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "apart from jokes" functions as a prepositional phrase used to introduce an exception or exclusion. It modifies a statement by indicating that jokes are not being considered in the current context. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "apart from jokes" is a prepositional phrase used to exclude humorous content from a discussion or analysis. Ludwig AI validates it as correct and usable. While not extremely common, it is considered appropriate across various writing styles. The phrase is most frequently encountered in news and media contexts. For alternative options, consider using synonyms like "besides the jokes" or "aside from jokes". Remember to use this phrase when you are specifically setting aside jokes, and not when humor is completely absent.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

aside from jokes

This is a very close synonym, almost directly interchangeable.

besides the jokes

This alternative is a direct synonym, replacing "apart from" with "besides".

excluding the jokes

This alternative emphasizes the act of specifically leaving out the jokes.

other than jokes

This offers a slightly more general exclusion than "apart from".

with the exception of jokes

This alternative is a more formal way of saying "apart from jokes".

discounting the jokes

This implies the jokes are considered but ultimately ignored.

leaving jokes aside

This suggests a deliberate decision to not consider jokes.

not considering the jokes

This alternative directly focuses on the act of disregarding the jokes.

without the jokes

This is a simple way of saying jokes are not included.

irrespective of the jokes

This means the jokes don't have influence on the subject being discussed.

FAQs

How can I use "apart from jokes" in a sentence?

You can use "apart from jokes" to exclude humorous content from a discussion, such as "Apart from jokes, the meeting focused on serious financial issues."

What's a good alternative to "apart from jokes"?

Alternatives include "besides the jokes", "excluding the jokes", or "aside from jokes", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "apart from jokes" formal or informal?

"Apart from jokes" is generally acceptable in both formal and informal contexts. However, for very formal writing, consider using "with the exception of jokes".

What does "apart from jokes" actually mean?

"Apart from jokes" means that you are setting jokes aside or not considering them in a particular situation or discussion.