1. The final, climactic sentence or phrase of a joke or humorous story that delivers the humor or surprise.
Usage: Usually plural when referring to multiple jokes or comedic moments.; Common in comedy, entertainment, and informal speech.

Examples

• The comedian's best punchlines always got the biggest laughs from the audience.
• She memorized all the punchlines from her favorite stand-up routine.
• The movie was full of clever punchlines that made everyone in the theater giggle.
• He ruined the joke by telling the punchlines before the setup.
• Good punchlines require perfect timing and delivery.
• The writer spent hours crafting the perfect punchlines for the script.
• Some of the punchlines in that comedy special were too dark for my taste.