make a joke of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "make a joke of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the act of treating something as a joke or making light of a serious situation. Example: "He tends to make a joke of every serious issue, which can be frustrating for those who want to discuss it earnestly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He could make a joke of it.

The New Yorker

He tried to make a joke of it.

The New Yorker

We might make a joke of it, perhaps.

The Guardian - Books

He added, "I respect the game so much, I won't make a joke of it".

The New York Times

He won't make a joke of me," De Laurentiis told Radio Rai.

Independent

And these farcical shifts make a joke of scoring a baseball game.

The Washington Post

"Not to make a joke of it, but it does taste like chicken".

The New York Times - Science

Life Is Beautiful (Roberto Benigni, 1997) 6pm, FilmFour Can you make a joke of the Holocaust?

The Guardian

In women, we accept it and make a joke of it.

The Guardian - Opinion

Which meant that Steel, much traduced, tried to make a joke of it.

The Guardian

"He'd find ways to make a joke of it," said one staffer.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "make a joke of" when you want to express that something serious is being treated as a joke, often inappropriately or disrespectfully. Be mindful of the context to avoid unintentional offense.

Common error

Avoid using "make a joke of" when the intention is simply to be lighthearted or humorous without trivializing something important. Opt for phrases like "make light of" or "joke about" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make a joke of" functions primarily as a verb phrase indicating the act of ridiculing or trivializing something. It suggests that a subject is treating something seriously with disrespect or levity, as shown in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "make a joke of" is a common idiomatic expression used to convey that someone is treating something serious as a joke, often inappropriately. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage and offers alternatives like ""make light of"" or "poke fun at" for varying degrees of trivialization. The phrase carries a neutral register but is predominantly found in news and media contexts, where it serves to express disapproval or criticism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make light of

This alternative suggests a less severe form of trivialization, often implying a gentle or playful approach.

poke fun at

Implies a more direct and potentially teasing manner of humor.

ridicule

Suggests a harsher and more critical form of making fun.

mock

Similar to ridicule, but can also imply imitation for comedic effect.

scoff at

Expresses disdain and disbelief through mockery.

lampoon

Refers to satirizing or ridiculing something in a written or artistic work.

satirize

Similar to lampoon, focusing on using humor to expose flaws or vices.

deride

A more formal and often harsher way of expressing contempt through ridicule.

treat with levity

Indicates handling something serious in a lighthearted manner, potentially inappropriately.

downplay

Reducing the perceived importance of something, sometimes to a comedic extent.

FAQs

How can I use "make a joke of" in a sentence?

You can use "make a joke of" to indicate that someone is treating something serious as a joke, such as, "He tends to "make a joke of" every serious issue, which can be frustrating."

What is a less harsh alternative to "make a joke of"?

If you want to convey a milder form of humor, consider using "make light of" or "joke about".

When is it inappropriate to use "make a joke of"?

It's inappropriate to use "make a joke of" when describing situations where genuine humor is intended without trivializing something significant. The phrase often carries a negative connotation.

What's the difference between "make a joke of" and "poke fun at"?

"Make a joke of" implies that something serious is being inappropriately trivialized, while "poke fun at" suggests a lighter, often playful, teasing.