13 Words for Someone Who Doesn’t Understand Sarcasm

It can be a bummer when someone doesn’t recognize how absolutely hilarious you are. So, what’s the word for someone who just doesn’t get sarcasm?

In the list below, you’ll find some great one-word terms for a person who’s just a little irony-deficient, so we’re sure you’ll find what you’re looking for!

Words for Someone Who Doesn’t Understand Sarcasm

  • Overliteral
  • Credulous
  • Witless
  • Oblivious
  • Obtuse
  • Unaware
  • Heedless
  • Humorless
  • Literal-minded
  • Incognizant
  • Thick
  • Slow
  • Gullible

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • If someone is “overliteral,” they will struggle to notice when someone is being ironic or intentionally exaggerating.
  • A “credulous” person accepts things people say far too readily and may, therefore, not pick up on it when someone is being facetious.
  • When a person struggles to understand jokes or is generally foolish, you can describe them as “witless.”

Don’t click away! We still need to discuss our top three words for a person who doesn’t understand sarcasm in detail.

Thereafter, we’ll show you how to use each of our choices in some useful example sentences.

Overliteral

If someone suffers from an inability to detect sarcasm, it may be because they are “overliteral.”

Merriam-Webster defines “overliteral” as “literal to an excessive degree.” Therefore, an “overliteral” person can be very frustrating for a number of reasons.

Firstly, if you take the things people say very literally, you won’t be able to recognize when they are exaggerating for the sake of humor.

In fact, you will often find that overliteral people irritate others by nitpicking the things they say and getting caught up in the semantics of how likely someone’s hyperbolic story is.

Secondly, an overliteral person will struggle to recognize irony and sarcasm because they will assume that the other person means precisely what they are saying.

Finally, let’s look at a couple of examples making use of the term “overliteral”:

You’re being overliteral, Paul! Obviously, I didn’t really eat my weight’s worth in tacos – it’s just a joke!

Your grandad is very sweet, but he’s too overliteral to pick up on your sarcasm.

Credulous

“Credulous” is a good word for someone who doesn’t understand sarcasm because they take everything people say at face value.

Merriam-Webster defines “credulous” as “ready to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence.”

Usually, this phrase describes someone who is easily fooled and too trusting. “Credulous” people are, therefore, easily swept up by conspiracies or scams.

However, a person who believes everything they hear may struggle to discern when you are being facetious as well.

Consider the examples below:

Person 1: Do you know the actor, Mads Mikkelsen?

Person 2: Oh yes, I met him this morning, actually.

Person 1: Really?

Peron 2: No Pete, not really, you credulous buffoon.

It’s no fun using sarcasm to pick on Connie since she’s too credulous to realize we’re even making fun of her.

Witless

If you’re wondering how to describe someone who doesn’t understand jokes, the word you’re probably looking for is “witless.”

Merriam-Webster defines the word “witless” as “destitute of wit or understanding.”

“Wit” generally refers to a person’s ability to recognize humor and to use words or ideas in a clever or humorous way.

Therefore, somebody who doesn’t get a joke may be “destitute of wit” because they are unable to recognize what is funny about a certain idea or comparison. 

Someone who is “witless” may also be seen as foolish and easily tricked. Therefore, they may have trouble recognizing when someone is teasing them with sarcasm as well.

Finally, let’s see this phrase in a couple of example sentences:

The poor, witless fellow had no clue that they were all mocking him.

This story revolves around a witless bartender who decided to pursue a career in stand-up comedy.