callback
Say it: KAWL-bak /ˈkɔːlbak/ · noun
What “callback” means
A joke that brings back an earlier joke.
More precisely: In comedy, a joke that refers back to an earlier one.
Example: “The best man's speech ended with a callback to the disastrous camping trip.”
When to use it
Use it when a comedian or storyteller gets another laugh by returning to something funny mentioned earlier.
Memory trick
A callback calls your memory back to an earlier funny moment.
It can also mean
It can also mean an invitation to return for another audition.
Similar words
reference, throwback, running gag
Quick check
A comedian mentions a missing sock, then unexpectedly refers to it again in the final joke. What is that return?
a callback or a cliffhanger?
Show the answer
a callback
Learn 5 new words a day in Kinquire. Each with a picture, how to say it, an example and a quick check, then spaced review so you actually keep them. Free to start.
Learn “callback”