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
Vice President Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) came to Trump’s defense, suggesting the posts were made in jest.
—
Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 2 Oct. 2025
These things are said somewhat in jest, but people take them seriously.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 1 Oct. 2025
Manning’s brief turn as Chad Powers was never meant to last, yet its resonance showed how audiences cling to the fantasy of starting over, even if only in jest.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
The comment, seemingly made by the president in jest, was met with silence from the military leaders called together at Quantico by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in jest
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Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 2 Oct. 2025
These things are said somewhat in jest, but people take them seriously.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 1 Oct. 2025
Manning’s brief turn as Chad Powers was never meant to last, yet its resonance showed how audiences cling to the fantasy of starting over, even if only in jest.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
The comment, seemingly made by the president in jest, was met with silence from the military leaders called together at Quantico by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 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 19 Oct. 2025.
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