banter

1 of 2

verb

ban·​ter ˈban-tər How to pronounce banter (audio)
bantered; bantering; banters

transitive verb

1
: to speak to or address in a witty and teasing manner
She laughed and bantered him a little, remembering too late that she should have been dignified and reserved.Kate Chopin
2
archaic : delude
3
chiefly Southern US and Midland US : challenge

intransitive verb

: to speak or act playfully or wittily
The two friends bantered with each other.
banterer noun
banteringly adverb

banter

2 of 2

noun

: good-natured and usually witty and animated joking
listening to their lively banter

Did you know?

Can banter be vicious?

Banter refers to a form of jesting or to the act of exchanging joking repartee. Although the word once meant “ridicule,” and though it has a regional sense "a challenge or dare" (as in, "he performed a banter [or banner], jumping from the roof onto the snowbank"), in modern use it usually refers to a light-hearted form of wit. You would not be wrong to say that someone engages in “cruel banter,” if that is what is intended, but the word is far more often encountered in combination with modifiers such as witty, friendly, or lighthearted.

Examples of banter in a Sentence

Verb the teacher bantered pleasantly, albeit a bit awkwardly, with the students at the school dance Noun I enjoyed hearing their good-natured banter. members of the Algonquin Round Table were known for their brilliant and witty banter
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In 2021, in his first Super Bowl ad, Jake bantered with Drake and Patrick Mahomes. Avery Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Feb. 2024 The two bantered a bit and exchanged social media information. Rory Appleton, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for banter 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'banter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

of obscure origin

Noun

noun derivative of banter entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1653, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of banter was in 1653

Dictionary Entries Near banter

Cite this Entry

“Banter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banter. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

banter

1 of 2 verb
ban·​ter ˈbant-ər How to pronounce banter (audio)
: to speak in a friendly but teasing or witty way
banterer noun
banteringly adverb

banter

2 of 2 noun
: good-natured teasing or joking

More from Merriam-Webster on banter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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