Thesaurus results for BANTER

banter 1 of 2

noun

Definition of banter

as in joke

good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks members of the Algonquin Round Table were known for their brilliant and witty banter

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banter

2 of 2

verb

ˈban-tər

as in to joke

to make jokes the teacher bantered pleasantly, albeit a bit awkwardly, with the students at the school dance

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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 banter

Noun

What recordings can’t prepare you for is her gift for stage banter. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026 My banter with Cormac focuses on the institute, what compels him to be here. — Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026

Verb

Meanwhile, Johnson reprises his role as Moana's bantering reluctant partner, the shapeshifting trickster demigod Maui, alongside Jemaine Clement again voicing the conceited giant crustacean Tamatoa. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026 During their flirty joint appearance, the couple bantered about sports, celebrating Swift owning her masters, and announced her album The Life of a Showgirl. — Elizabeth Gulino, InStyle, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for banter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for banter

Noun

The joke refers to Sheeran’s appearance on Chicken Shop Date in November 2021, when Dimoldenberg met the singer at Sam’s Chicken in London.

— Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 27 Sep. 2026
Thank God for both Jane Wickline and Jeremy Culhane stopping by the desk for funny, clear, and joke-heavy characters.

— Rima Parikh, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of joke

Noun

Pledging love and respecting someone or a relationship can make people feel so uncomfortable that leaning into these tropes of life can feel humorous, and that’s where the laughs from a Hallmark film come from.

— Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Here are some of the posts on X that made the brothers laugh.

— Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of laugh

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

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

They trade glances across the table and crack jokes that don’t always need explaining; the years together have apparently given them their own shorthand and inside humor.

— Crystal Bell, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
Posters on the wall for the studio’s hits include such titles as 2 Weddings and a Cremation and The Janitor Who Knew Too Much, which gives you a hint of the film’s brand of humor.

— Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of humor

Noun

There’s talk amongst the crowd about the album, but nothing as loud or abrasive as the chatter happening online about everything from her album cover to her single choices to her strong, vocal opinions about her album cover and single choices.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2026
And for all the chatter, Jenna and Val’s first routine kind of falls flat anyway.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of chatter

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