Practical joke

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A practical joke, or prank, is a trick played on someone that usually makes them surprised, puzzled, or a little embarrassed. The person who does the joke is a practical joker or prankster. Other words for this kind of trick include gag, rib, jape, shenanigan, and troll.

Many Western countries mark April Fools’ Day or Mischief Night with pranks. Practical jokes are different from confidence tricks or hoaxes because the victim finds out the joke, rather than being tricked into giving money or valuables. Pranks are generally lighthearted and meant to be fun, not to humiliate or harm someone. They are called practical because they involve a physical action, not just a spoken or written joke.

Common examples:
- A bucket of water dumped on someone when a door is opened
- Fake vomit, rubber bugs, stink bombs
- Whoopee cushions, clear tape, hidden props
- Office pranks like covering computer parts with Jell‑O, wrapping a desk in foil or paper, or filling it with balloons
- Sleepover pranks where friends surprise each other

Pranks can last a short time or be longer setups, depending on the plan.

Culture and safety:
- Pranks are popular in universities and among friends, but some pranks can involve stealing items like traffic cones or stop signs, which can be dangerous or illegal. In the UK, traffic cone theft became so common that a “cone amnesty” was offered in 2002.
- Classic prank stories include Waldo Peirce swapping turtles for a concierge, which inspired the children’s book Esio Trot.
- Modern pranks include engineering students moving cars to odd places (as seen at some universities) or famous campus “hacks” at MIT and Cambridge.

In media, pranks appear in films and TV shows. For example, Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men feature rival pranks, while Windy City Heat follows a long string of pranks on its star. In the UK, Trollstation posts prank videos on YouTube, sometimes drawing fines or charges.