What does wisecrack mean?
A wisecrack is a brief, witty remark, usually one delivered quickly and with an air of confidence. The word can be affectionate when the remark is genuinely funny, but it often carries the suggestion that cleverness is taking the place of substance; a speaker may be described as making wisecracks to show off. Less commonly, a wisecrack is a person known for making such remarks. It can also function as a verb, meaning to make a witty remark. The expression is especially common in conversation, comedy, political reporting, and descriptions of formal occasions where someone deflects a serious question with a joke. Although speakers may occasionally say “wise crack” in conversation, the established spelling is “wisecrack.” The word is useful because it distinguishes a quick, verbally nimble remark from a broader joke or a lengthy humorous story, while also hinting at the possible showiness of the remark.
A quick, witty remark; less commonly, a person who habitually makes witty remarks.
"Her answer was a wisecrack that concealed how annoyed she was."
The word often implies speed and verbal agility, and it may carry a mildly dismissive or show-off connotation.
To make a witty or intellectually clever remark.
"He wisecracked from the back row while the lecture was still in progress."
This is an informal usage, especially associated with comedy and conversational banter.
The standard plural of the noun meaning witty remarks or people who make them.
"The comic ended her set with a string of wisecracks about airport security."
One word, two personalities: the remark may be funny, but the person delivering it may be insufferable.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wisecrack come from?
Wisecrack is an English compound formed in the late nineteenth century from the words wise and crack. The component wise descends from Old English wīs, meaning experienced, prudent, or learned, while crack had already been used in English for a sharp remark or verbal jest. In the compound, these elements came to signify a remark distinguished by both quick judgment and verbal cleverness. The word subsequently developed both a meaning for the remark itself and a meaning for a person who habitually makes such remarks.
Related word forms
How wisecrack is actually used
The word is informal and often slightly dismissive: a wisecrack may be admired as clever or resented as an attempt to display wit. The use for a person is less common and generally more critical than the use for the remark itself.