Term Gallery logo

Meanings of play on words in English

Russian
каламбур
Portuguese
jogo de palavras
Spanish
juego de palabras
Catalan
joc de paraules

Form of wit in which words used become the main subject of the work.

каламбур
Usage of play on words in English
1
The tagline featured a play on words that left many viewers stumped.
News.com.au
2
McVee almost smiled, recalling the conversation and his own play on words.
Money to burn: a novel of suspense
3
It is a novel about novels, an extended, brilliant play on words.
The Irish Times
4
Sorry, I'm catching it from them; they do like a play on words.
The Guardian
5
You should read it with a sharp lookout for the play on words.
Story Hour Readings: Seventh Year
6
My baby-BabyMine-rather a neat play on words, don't you think?
The Long Chance
7
The play on words in the first quatrain and the first terzet is Shakespearian.
The Sonnets of Michael Angelo Buonarroti and Tommaso Campanella;...
8
He hadn't meant the play on words to be funny.
A kiss of shadows
9
But also the play on words for the shop itself.
News.com.au
10
The entertainment usually started with some humorous play on words.
Oscar Wilde, His Life and Confessions. Volume 2 (of 2)
11
He didn't know if she'd smiled at his play on words, but one could hope.
The outsiders
12
It came from a play on words-onnames, actually.
Fire With Fire
13
But this was likely a deliberate play on words.
The Guardian
14
He can take down any crowd with his dynamic play on words and infectious versatility.
The South African
15
I'm an expert valued for my expertise. He laughed softly at this play on words.
A fierce radiance: a novel
16
But there's a play on words here, isn't there?
Bangkok 8
This collocation consists of:
Translations for play on words