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
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
Mare Staff, Boston Herald, 1 June 2025
Inside the plane, the commanders banter and joke, unaware of what's in Lawrence's briefcase.
—EW.com, 20 May 2025
Elise Taylor, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025
Her current comedy tour with Poehler reportedly finds the duo bantering in pajamas.
—Judy Berman, Time, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for banter
Noun
Lily has a sharp sense of humor and loves engaging in playful banter with those around her.
—Mare Staff, Boston Herald, 1 June 2025
Inside the plane, the commanders banter and joke, unaware of what's in Lawrence's briefcase.
—EW.com, 20 May 2025
Verb
The couple playfully banters throughout: like when Nara makes fun of Lucky for his obsession with drinking Brillo pickle juice.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025
Her current comedy tour with Poehler reportedly finds the duo bantering in pajamas.
—Judy Berman, Time, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for banter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for banter
Noun
-
Sports officials have been the target of jokes and ire from fans for as long as sports have existed.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
But Reese isn’t letting herself be treated as the victim of the joke.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
Y'all gave me a good laugh this morning, so thanks for that!—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
-
Her spirit, her fire, her talent, her leadership, her laugh — unforgettable.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
Each bus has a pair of hosts, whose badinage is corny but crowd-pleasing.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
-
In The Kitchen, Wesker tracked the decorum from friendly badinage to hostile vernacular that co-workers sustain just to get through the day.—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
His brother Richard Rosenthal is Somebody Feed Phil’s executive producer and showrunner; their on-camera repartee is a golden fan-favorite.—
Laura Manske,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
Most voters are worried about high prices for food, energy and housing, rather than their leader’s Oval Office repartee.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Friday, March 27: This dance troupe blends traditional African styles with those from Black fraternities and sororities and contemporary forms in a show that also features storytelling, humor and audience participation.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2025
-
Superhero cinema has dominated since then, and Brad Bird's visual style and humor feel less novel.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 June 2025
Noun
-
There was a lot of chatter about the government replenishing local government consumer subsidy funds after strong demand, which led to depletion in several cities.—
Brendan Ahern,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Based on all the chatter coming out of camp, Wilson already seems to be having a positive influence on the Giants.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
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
Noun
-
None of this will keep Republicans and conservatives from attacking the reconciliation bill with smoke, mirrors and persiflage.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Aug. 2022
-
As Nixon’s political strategist, Kevin Phillips, told the New York Times in 1970: All the talk about Republicans making inroads into the Negro vote is persiflage.—
Jane Coaston,
Vox,
12 Oct. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Banter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/banter. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share