crickets
crickets Lexical Profile
crickets Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Nocturnal jumping insects of the family Gryllidae, related to grasshoppers and noted for the loud, rhythmic chirping sound produced by the males rubbing their front wings together.
"We sat on the porch listening to the crickets chirping in the warm evening air."
Complete or awkward silence, especially a total lack of response, enthusiasm, or laughter following a question, joke, or statement.
"When the manager asked for volunteers to work over the holiday weekend, all he heard was crickets."
• interjection
Used to highlight or mock an awkward, unresponsive silence following a failed joke, unanswered question, or unremarkable announcement.
"I told my favorite pun at the dinner table—crickets!"
• Rhymes for crickets
Word Origin & Etymology
The figurative sense of awkward silence alludes to the comedy trope in radio, animation, and television where the ambient sound of chirping crickets is played to emphasize that a joke or remark has failed to elicit any laughter or response.