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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to joke
to make jokes
the teacher bantered pleasantly, albeit a bit awkwardly, with the students at the school dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of banter
Miami Herald, 1 June 2026
That was the birth of Ben and Cat’s banter.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 30 May 2026
Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Siwa and Hughes playfully bantered about a potential engagement ahead of spending their first Christmas together.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for banter
Noun
Trying to have a bit of a laugh and banter with it.
—Miami Herald, 1 June 2026
That was the birth of Ben and Cat’s banter.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 30 May 2026
Verb
One can leave the sauna to cool off and return, continuing the cycle and enjoying the quiet or bantering with fellow sauna-goers.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Siwa and Hughes playfully bantered about a potential engagement ahead of spending their first Christmas together.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for banter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banter
Noun
-
Despite all of the excellent jokes, ultimately Night Night Fawn can be nothing other than a tragedy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
In casual conversation, it’s treated as a biological footnote, something between a quirk and a joke.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Guiterrez was killed just days before her 20th birthday and was described on GoFundMe by her sister as having the silliest laugh and biggest smiles, and giving the best hugs.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
Often, the laughs on the show are generated by a delicate interplay between the music and the sound design.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
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
Noun
-
At the heart of this very British invasion’s appeal, beyond the revelatory historical detail and sharp insights, is the friendship and repartee between the two hosts.—
Sean Woods,
Rolling Stone,
25 May 2026
-
That’s welcome repartee at any age, much less at Fangio’s 67.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
22 May 2026
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
Noun
-
Underneath all of that old Jewish humor is a woman who makes no effort to get to know the person her child has become, and who remains incurious about the parts of the world that don’t fit with her agenda.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Your adaptable nature turns small moments into quick bridges, while gentle humor lightens heavier topics so plans move forward together.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
But sidle up to the bar, eerily silent until the restaurant quickly fills with chatter, and order a stiff drink before settling into a table and digging into heaping plates of pasta, milanesa, and a Caesar salad that always hits the spot.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
-
The chatter of cosmopolitan élites is the most reviled of all discourses right now.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Banter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banter. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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