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 group-chat joke lands because many young people know exactly what’s in their checking account, and still want to make room for what makes life feel good.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
Read this book for hilarious jokes, different types of friends, and fresh starts.

— Kavya Dhillon, Parents, 19 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

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

Abrams is fantastic as the bumbling protagonist, and Cregger injects a healthy dose of humor, gore, Easter eggs, and scares into the new adaptation.

— Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
While audiences will find plenty of humor in this film, its subject matter is serious—as is Wilson.

— Lila Allen, Architectural Digest, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of humor

Noun

Industry chatter about the potential sale quieted after Vulcan’s recent booster woes.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
That sparked chatter about potential interest from another Dominican team (such as Licey, given a connection with his uncle, Erick Aybar) and/or from teams in Venezuela, with several reportedly inquiring.

— Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 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