in jest
idiom
formal + old-fashioned
: as a joke
I didn't mean to upset you; I only said it in jest.
Examples of in jest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Reid said in jest during a call with local reporters on Tuesday.
—
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Some decade and a monster contract extension later, Bonitto is the ringleader of an outside-linebacker group in Denver that verbally accost each other inside the locker room (mostly just Bonitto and Cooper, and mostly in jest) and compete in most every rep inside the facility.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 Dec. 2025
Even though Jordan later said the off-the-cuff comment was in jest, more than three decades later it still gets repeated, especially now that shoppers of all political stripes are wielding their wallets to make their feelings and beliefs known at the cash register.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
That sentiment, while proclaimed in jest, captures a current appetite among many celebrities and fans alike to break away from conventional interviews in favor of more authentic and flavorful content.
—Yahya Salem, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in jest
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Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Some decade and a monster contract extension later, Bonitto is the ringleader of an outside-linebacker group in Denver that verbally accost each other inside the locker room (mostly just Bonitto and Cooper, and mostly in jest) and compete in most every rep inside the facility.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 Dec. 2025
Even though Jordan later said the off-the-cuff comment was in jest, more than three decades later it still gets repeated, especially now that shoppers of all political stripes are wielding their wallets to make their feelings and beliefs known at the cash register.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
That sentiment, while proclaimed in jest, captures a current appetite among many celebrities and fans alike to break away from conventional interviews in favor of more authentic and flavorful content.
—Yahya Salem, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in jest
Cite this Entry
“In jest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20jest. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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