How to Make a Friend Laugh

Co-authored by Kendall Payne and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: October 5, 2022 References

If your friend is feeling down or you’re both a little bored, making them laugh is a great way to get the good vibes going. You can go with something simple, like a joke or a meme, or try something more elaborate, like a harmless prank. Whatever you try, keep your friends sense of humor in mind so you can make them chuckle with your silly antics.

1

Tell them a silly pun.

Pick a pun so dumb that your friend will have to laugh. Look through a joke book to find a play on words, or make one up of your own. Try something like:^{[1]
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- “What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta!”
- ”What does a nosey pepper do? Gets jalapeño business.”
- ”What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator.”

2

Try a knock-knock joke.

You can get your friend involved with a joke that needs an answer. Stick with a classic joke to stay silly, or make one up on your own. You could try:^{[2]
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- ”Knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “Tank.” “Tank who?” “You’re welcome.”
- ”Knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “Cow says.” “Cow says who?” “No, cow says moo!”
- ”Knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “Who.” “Who who?” “I didn’t know you were an owl!”

3

Go for a plain old joke.

Pick something that will really make your friend chuckle. You could joke about going back to school, a new teacher, or your parents. Try:^{[3]
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- ”I invented a new word: plagiarism!”
- ”What’s orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot.”
- ”What did the pirate say when he turned 80? Aye matey.”

4

Try the rule of 3.

Say a list of 3 things, but make the third one funny and ridiculous. You can do this with almost anything, like:^{[4]
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- ”Are you trying too hard to get people to like you? By having a lot of money, an attractive appearance, or wearing deodorant?”
- ”If you want to be seen: stand up! If you want to be heard: speak up! If you want to be appreciated: shut up!”

5

Say a simple one-liner.

Short jokes are simple and to the point, but they get the job done. Go for one of these if your friend wasn’t super into your long-form jokes earlier. Try:^{[5]
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- ”I own the world’s worst thesaurus. Not only is it awful, it’s awful.”
- ”What’s the difference between a good joke and a bad joke timing.”
- ”If we shouldn’t eat at night, why did they put a light in the fridge?”

6

Make fun of yourself for a laugh.

A little self-deprecating humor can be silly! Try making fun of a silly habit you have, something you’re wearing, or something that happened to you recently. You could say:^{[6]
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Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
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- ”I’m in shape. Round is a shape, right?”
- ”This shirt is so colorful, you can probably see it from space.”
- “I got so distracted by my phone the other day that I walked right into a pole!”

7

Play a harmless prank.

If your friend has a good sense of humor, they might appreciate this. Make sure the prank is funny for both of you, and don’t go out of your way to cause damage.^{[7]
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- Make your friend a silly meal when they say they’re hungry, like green eggs and ham or a sandwich cut out in the shape of an animal.
- Place confetti on the blades of a ceiling fan so they fall into the air when the fan is turned on.
- Hide bubble wrap under a rug so your friend is surprised by the popping noises.

8

Tease your friend without being mean.

If you’re close with your friend, you can get away with a little teasing. Make sure you aren’t making fun of anything they’re sensitive about, and don’t go overboard with your comments.^{[8]
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- Lightly tease your friend over their habit of talking with their hands or saying a certain word a lot.
- You might also tease your friend about their large stuffed animal collection or a musician or TV show that’s their guilty pleasure.

9

Tell a funny story that happened to you.

If it makes you laugh, it will probably make your friend laugh, too. Look for something that happened to you in person, a news story you read about, or something funny from your childhood to relay to your friend.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Kendall Payne
Writer, Director, & Stand-up Comedian
Expert Interview. 3 April 2020.}
- Maybe you saw a bird poop on someone’s head, or a dog wearing a funny sweater.
- Or, maybe you have a memory of your dad starting the blender without the lid on and making a huge mess.

10

Watch a funny movie or TV show.

Let the characters on the screen do the talking for you. Pick out a movie or TV show that you and your friend both like, then chill out with some snacks and enjoy it.^{[10]
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- You could try “The Office,” “Superbad,” “Friends,” “Dumb and Dumber,” or “The Good Place.”
- If you’re out of ideas, type in “comedies” or “funny” to search for movies and TV shows.

11

Find videos of stand up comedians.

Comedians are made to make people laugh! Look up a comedian on YouTube or Netflix to find a few videos you can binge with your friend.^{[11]
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HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
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- You could also head to a comedy club to see comedians in-person.
- Josie Long, Dave Chappelle, Mindy Kaling, Hannibal Buress, and Trevor Noah are all good comedians to choose from.

12

Send your friend a funny meme.

If you’re not with your friend, this is a great way to get them to smile. If you see a funny meme as you’re scrolling through social media, forward it to your friend to make them laugh.^{[12]
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- You know your friend best, so try to pick something that fits their sense of humor.
- Instagram and Twitter are great places to look for memes.
- If they aren’t into memes, a cute kitten video works too!

Community Q&A

Question

How do I deal with someone who is trying to steal my friends?

Community Answer

Talk to her (but don't be mean) and ask her if she wants to hang out with all of you together. Just don't let her take over the group.
Question

How can I make up jokes to make a friend laugh if I am not good at jokes?

Community Answer

Look up jokes that will make someone laugh and then try to remember them.
Question

When is the best time to hang out with my friends?

Community Answer

Any time is a good time, whenever you feel like being together, when you need a laugh, when you need to socialize, when you need to cheer them up or be cheered up, and so forth.

Warnings

Avoid being mean if you choose to tease or prank your friend, because you don’t want to hurt their feelings.

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