badinage

noun

ˌba-də-ˈnäzh How to pronounce badinage (audio)
Definition of badinagenext
as in banter
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks the sophisticated badinage of the characters in plays by Oscar Wilde

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of badinage Left on their own, boisterous badinage between old school British thespian Shaw and giggly, hyper-ventilating wannabe movie star Dreyfuss has taken hold. — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026 The action flows, the badinage is fast and fun. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025 Each bus has a pair of hosts, whose badinage is corny but crowd-pleasing. — Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 In The Kitchen, Wesker tracked the decorum from friendly badinage to hostile vernacular that co-workers sustain just to get through the day. — Armond White, National Review, 30 Oct. 2024 While Hawley hasn’t left behind any of his signature philosophical dialogue or memorable badinage, Season 5 is also the most reliant on the camera to make its points. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2024 The question of who was manipulating whom had been a meta thing in our conversations from the beginning, with jokey badinage about the power of interviewers and the vulnerability of their subjects. — Laura Kipnis, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2023 But also present are Heyer’s wry humor and deftness in witty badinage. — Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badinage
  1. banter
  2. raillery
  3. joke
  4. repartee
  5. laugh
  6. jesting
  7. persiflage
  8. give-and-take
Noun
  • Their easy banter in a new AD video tour of the film set feels instantly familiar, echoing the dynamic between sisters Sally (Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Kidman) nearly three decades after Practical Magic first cast its spell on audiences in 1998.
    — Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The banter between the two gives McDonagh’s script its usual comic crackle.
    — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of banter
Noun
  • With time, their caustic raillery transforms into sincere attachment.
    — Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 13 May 2021
  • French’s evocation of place, a rural way of life and overall creepiness are superb, as is the dialogue, a festival of Irish raillery and repartee.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2020
Definition of raillery
Noun
  • In their new home, the past clings to Everton; restless, a bad joke, craving more, loud, glorious.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The vice president warned during the event that her threat was not a joke.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • Through rapid-fire verbal repartee, constant close-ups, and frantic cuts, Deramas treads a careful line between tragedy and comedy, the latter a psychological weapon against the former.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Faith King and Josiah Fagerstrom both deliver delightfully prickly repartee as their characters gradually manage to surpass archetype.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of repartee
Noun
  • When Jenn and Emily return, Shannon tries to cut the tension by talking about jarred pizza sauce (the only real laugh-out-loud moment of the episode), but there’s no salvaging this night.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Here, she’s matured as a well-rounded comedienne who can pull the stops for subtle approaches to laughs, and though the mugging is still evident, it’s only used for propitious moments.
    — Hank Grant, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
  • No matter what happened, Dunham could not seem to help posting through it, her public persona one of infinite jesting confession.
    — Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of jesting
Noun
  • None of this will keep Republicans and conservatives from attacking the reconciliation bill with smoke, mirrors and persiflage.
    — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2022
Definition of persiflage
Noun
  • As the month unfolds, however, a friend group or team effort may require more give-and-take than you’re used to, let alone comfortable with.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • And deals are still getting done, just with a little more give-and-take on both sides.
    — Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 24 July 2026
Definition of give-and-take

Browse Nearby Words

badges
badinage
badland
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Cite this Entry

“Badinage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badinage. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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