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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Meanwhile, sitcoms like Friends marked a movement toward irony in comedy with its trademark tongue-in-cheek banter and sarcasm, Thompson explains. — Liz Regalia, Parents, 23 June 2026 Before the gaggle of girls swarms her apartment, there’s a sweet moment when Steve drops his daughter off early, and the two divorcees engage in some flirty banter over pizza prep. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 17 June 2026

Verb

In turbulent times, there was something soothing about seeing Lineker back on a couch, beaming at us from ITV’s Brooklyn set, bantering with presenter Laura Woods and the panel (including former BBC pal Ian Wright) just like old times. — Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 21 June 2026 On the train ride, fans sang and chanted and bantered with one another. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for banter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for banter

Noun

Nathan thinks Joe is teasing him about his cleanliness, and jokes back that Joe hasn’t changed his sheets, either.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 July 2026
The jokes about a modern couple trapped in a magical town stuck more than 200 years in the past hit the mark with just the right amount of bawdy fun.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of joke

Noun

Resplendent in a dark top and flowered scarves, Jackie has his hair ratted out, creating a kind of nimbus around his poignant, ready-to-laugh face, which is powdered white, with shiny, metallic-looking paillettes around the eyes.

— Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
The dialogue, meanwhile, is played hilariously straight — good luck finding a laugh among these uncharted stars — and often consists of someone shouting another character's name.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of laugh

Noun

To be sure, Maher’s ready wit and spontaneous repartee as a talk show host were central themes for the parade of chums who praised the honoree.

— Paul Harris, Variety, 29 June 2026
The two-minute trailer includes a recreation of the famous sailor-kissing-a-nurse photo from V-J Day, a woman insulting David’s butter churning, some trench warfare repartee about the looks of a soldier’s love back at home, the Boston Tea Party, and jokes about child labor.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 11 June 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

Now these artists are exploring the relationship between humor and faith with audiences that are feeling the impact of artificial intelligence on creativity and culture.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Moreno then took Episodes 3 and 4, bringing his flair for humor and character to the introduction of Fernanda del Carpio, a key antagonist.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 17 July 2026