There’s a very specific kind of humor that lives entirely in the space between a groan and a laugh at the dad joke. It’s built on a simple pun, delivered with total sincerity, and somehow gets funnier the more painfully obvious it is. What’s less well known is that dad joke isn’t just internet slang; it has a documented history, an actual etymology, and even survey data on which specific dad joke Americans hear most often. In this guide, we’ve gathered 60+ classic and current dad jokes, organized by type and audience, along with the real, sourced story of where this uniquely beloved genre of wordplay actually came from.

What Is a Dad Joke, Exactly?

Before diving into the jokes themselves, it’s worth pinning down exactly what separates a dad joke from a regular pun or one liner.

The Official Definition

A dad joke is typically a pun based joke, often delivered as a one liner or a simple question and answer, that’s stereotypically associated with the kind of humor a father figure tells his kids. The term became official enough that MerriamWebster added dad joke to the dictionary in September 2019, cementing it as a recognized category of humor rather than just an internet meme.

• Usually built around a pun or simple wordplay
• Often structured as a one liner or short question and answer
• Associated stereotypically with father figures telling their kids
• Added officially to MerriamWebster’s dictionary in 2019
• Generally inoffensive and considered safe for any audience
• Intended to be either genuinely funny or amusingly bad on purpose
• Doesn’t require profanity, politics, or edgy material to land
• Recognized today as its own distinct humor category

What Makes a Joke a Dad Joke vs a Regular Pun

Unlike knockknock jokes or lightbulb jokes, dad jokes don’t follow one uniform structure, and they don’t center on parenting or any single topic what unites them is tone: deliberately simple, a little too pleased with itself, and safe enough for any dinner table.

• No fixed format, unlike knockknock or lightbulb jokes
• Not limited to parenting or family specific topics
• Defined more by tone and delivery than exact structure
• Almost always free of profanity or political content
• Meant to feel safe enough for any audience or setting
• Often delivered with exaggerated confidence or a straight face
• The predictability is often part of what makes it funny
• Distinguishes dad jokes from edgier or more niche pun based humor

The Surprising History of the Dad Joke

The genre has a documented origin that traces back further than most people would guess, and its journey to becoming a dictionary official term is genuinely interesting.

Where the Term Actually Came From

According to documented newspaper archives, the term dad joke was first published in June 1987 by Jim Kalbaugh, a columnist for the Gettysburg Times, who wrote in defense of the genre under a headline urging readers not to ban Dad jokes but to preserve them instead. While the style of humor itself is far older, tracing back to joke collections from late antiquity, the specific term as we use it today began with that 1987 column.

• First published use traced to a June 1987 newspaper column
• Written by columnist Jim Kalbaugh in the Gettysburg Times
• The column specifically defended and celebrated the genre
• The humor style itself predates the term by centuries
• Similar pun based father son exchanges appear in ancient joke collections
• The modern term didn’t reach mainstream use until decades later
• Confirmed through documented newspaper archive records
• One of the more surprising etymologies in modern slang

How It Became a Cultural Phenomenon

Dad jokes stayed relatively niche until social media accelerated their popularity, with the hashtag becoming one of Twitter’s most popular tags in 2017, the same year a U.S. government campaign used the format to encourage fatherchild communication. MerriamWebster followed by officially adding the term to the dictionary in 2019.

• Gained mainstream traction through social media in the 2010s
• The dad joke hashtag became hugely popular on Twitter in 2017
• A U.S. Ad Council campaign used dad jokes to promote fatherchild bonding
• MerriamWebster added dad joke as an official dictionary entry in 2019
• Major publications have since released large dad joke compilations
• The genre continues to be studied by folklore researchers today
• Reflects a rare case of internet slang gaining formal recognition
• Shows how a niche newspaper column grew into a global humor genre

Classic Dad Jokes

These are the foundational, tried and true dad jokes that rely on simple wordplay and an unexpected twist.

The Groaners (PunBased Classics)

These jokes lean entirely on a pun, the kind that gets an eyeroll immediately followed by a laugh anyway.

• I’m reading a book about antigravity. It’s impossible to put down.
• What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fish.
• I used to hate facial hair, but then it grew on me.
• Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts.
• I’m on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it.
• What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear.
• I don’t trust stairs. They’re always up to something.
• What do you call a can opener that doesn’t work? A can’t opener.

AntiJokes (Intentionally Not Funny)

A subset of dad jokes are antijokes, where the humor comes specifically from a punchline that’s deliberately not funny, playing against the expectation of a clever twist.

• Why did the plane crash into the mountain? Because the pilot was a loaf of bread.
• What’s brown and sticky? A stick.
• Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
• What do you call a boring dinosaur? A thesaurus.
• Why did the man put his money in the freezer? He wanted cold, hard cash.
• What’s the opposite of irony? Wrinkly.
• Why did the golfer bring an extra pair of pants? In case he got a hole in one.
• What do you call a fake noodle? An imposter.

Hi Hungry, I’m Dad and Other Riposte Jokes

A specific style of dad joke, the riposte, has become so common it’s practically a rite of passage for new parents.

Why This One Is So Popular

According to a 2023 survey of American fathers, the classic exchange where a child says I’m hungry and the dad replies Hi Hungry, I’m Dad was the most commonly heard dad joke nationwide, topping the list in nine separate states. It’s become something of a cultural shorthand for the entire genre.

• Ranked as the most common dad joke in a 2023 national survey
• Was the topreported joke in nine different U.S. states specifically
• Works as an instant, reflexive response to a common kid phrase
• Requires zero setup, making it endlessly reusable in daily life
• Became a widely recognized shorthand symbol for dad humor generally
• Popular partly because nearly every parent has a hungry moment
• Represents the riposte style at its simplest and most repeatable
• Often the very first dad joke new parents learn to use

More RiposteStyle Dad Jokes to Try

Riposte jokes work by twisting whatever the other person just said, usually by taking a word or phrase literally.

• I’ll call you later. Please, call me Dad instead.
• Can you make me a sandwich? Poof! You’re a sandwich.
• Can you help me tie my shoes? I can try, but I don’t think they’ll fit me.
• I’m serious. Hi Serious, I’m Dad.
• I’m tired. Hi Tired, I’m Dad.
• Guess what? Chicken butt.
• Watch this! I’m watching, go ahead.
• I’m bored. Hi Bored, I’m Dad.

Dad Joke of the Day for Work

Dad jokes translate surprisingly well to office settings, since they’re clean, short, and rarely risk offending anyone.

Safe, Clean OneLiners for the Office

These work well as icebreakers in meetings, Slack channels, or breakroom chats, since they’re inoffensive enough for even the most cautious workplace.

• Why did the scarecrow win an award? He was outstanding in his field.
• I’m terrified of elevators, so I’ve been taking steps to avoid them.
• What do you call a factory that makes okay products? It is satisfactory.
• Why did the employee get fired from the calendar factory? He took a day off.
• What’s the best time to go to the dentist? Toothhurty.
• Why did the coffee file a police report? It got mugged.
• What do you call a boomerang that won’t come back? A stick.
• I only know 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y.

Dad Jokes for Kids

While not every dad joke lands with younger kids, the simplest ones, built on pure silliness rather than wordplay, tend to work best.

Simple Enough for Younger Kids to Get

These skip the more complex puns in favor of goofy, easy to picture logic that younger kids can actually follow.

• Why did the cookie go to the doctor? Because it felt crummy.
• What do you call a sleeping dinosaur? A dinosaur.
• Why can’t your nose be 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot.
• What do you call a dinosaur that crashes his car? Tyrannosaurus wrecks.
• Why did the banana go to the doctor? It wasn’t peeling well.
• What do you get when a dinosaur sneezes? Out of the way.
• Why did the bicycle fall over? It was twotired.
• What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet? Supplies!

Why Dad Jokes Are Actually Good for Families

Beyond the groans, researchers who study folklore and humor have made a case for why this specific style of joke matters more than it seems.

The Psychology Behind the Groan

Folklore researchers have described dad jokes as less of a joke and more of a small performance between a father and his audience, intentionally breaking the usual rule against telling a bad joke. The dad wins either way  whether the listener actually laughs or groans in embarrassment, the exchange itself becomes a small, warm moment of connection.

• Described by researchers as a performance, not just a punchline
• The intended reaction can be a genuine laugh or an embarrassed groan
• Either reaction technically counts as the joke succeeding
• Seen as a low stakes way for parents to bond with their kids
• Represents a dad being intentionally silly rather than genuinely unfunny
• Considered a comfortable ritual among family and close friends
• Reflects warmth and playfulness rather than a lack of humor skill
• Part of why the genre has stayed so persistently beloved

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Conclusion

Dad jokes have come a long way from a single 1987 newspaper column defending cheesy humor to becoming an officially recognized dictionary term with its own documented cultural history. Whether it’s a classic punbased groaner, an intentionally unfunny antijoke, or the endlessly reusable Hi Hungry, I’m Dad riposte, the genre’s appeal comes down to its warmth as much as its wit  a small, safe ritual of connection dressed up as comedy. With 60+ jokes organized by style and audience above, you should have more than enough material ready for your next family dinner, work meeting, or unsuspecting kid asking can you make me a sandwich.