the joke [is] on {sb}
1
used when a person attempts to embarrass or humiliate someone but gets embarrassed or humiliated instead
The origin of the idiom "the joke is on someone" can be traced back to the concept of humor and pranks. Humor often revolves around the unexpected or ironic, where the outcome is contrary to what was anticipated. In this idiom, "the joke" refers to a humorous or clever action taken by one person, while "on someone" implies that the humor or cleverness of the situation is at the expense of another person. It is used to emphasize situations where someone's efforts to be clever or humorous have unintended consequences.
- He thought he was pranking his friend, but when he slipped on the banana peel himself, the joke was on him.
- She tried to outsmart her opponent with a clever move, but it backfired, and the joke was on her.
- Mark thought he was pulling a fast one on his coworkers, but when they revealed the surprise party they had planned for him, the joke was on him.
- Their attempt to make a funny video ended up with the camera falling into the pool, and the joke was on them.
- Jenny tried to play a prank on her little brother, but he turned the tables, and the joke was on Jenny.