A practical joke is a trick you play on someone to surprise or confuse them, done in a spirit of fun rather than meanness. Unlike a spoken joke that makes people laugh with words, a practical joke creates humor through action. You might put plastic wrap over a doorway, set up a fake spider, or reset all the clocks in your house an hour ahead to confuse your family.

The word practical here means hands-on or physical, involving real objects and situations rather than just words. Many people think the best practical jokes are harmless and funny for everyone involved, including the person being tricked. Your science teacher might pour “water” into a container that suddenly foams up and looks like a volcanic eruption, surprising the class before explaining the chemistry.

Practical jokes become unkind when they embarrass someone, damage their belongings, or hurt their feelings. There's a big difference between hiding your sister's phone as a quick joke and hiding something she needs for an important event. The goal is a moment of surprise and shared laughter, not lasting upset or harm.

Some people use the term prank to mean the same thing, though pranks can sometimes be more elaborate or public than simple practical jokes.