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

But there is a real tenderness that’s thrown into the mix with the lewd banter and glass-half-empty outlook. — Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 Men are supposed to pay for dinner but also treat women as equals; to initiate flirty banter but never be creepy or aggressive; to be sturdy and masculine but also empathetic and thoughtful. — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 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

There are moments, say at a fan’s family home in Casablanca, when a joke gets lost in translation.

— Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026
And then there’s the Ren Faire episode, where a McPoyle brothers’ cameo portends a closing joke so distressing my innocent little brain rejected all the warnings of its arrival.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of joke

Noun

Gone was the terror of wondering if the piece that was about to air was going to get big enough laughs from the live audience.

— Merrill Markoe, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
But that blend of raucous laughs (OK, well, some raucous laughs, some mere attempts at them) and real world concerns makes for an uneasy watch, ping-ponging between moods and tones in unpredictable ways.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 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

In addition to humor and heart, the show will feature a new original song written exclusively for the park by composer Randy Newman.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 16 Aug. 2026
But beneath the humor was genuine admiration for the executive whose tenure at Netflix helped transform Hollywood’s traditional television model.

— Lilly Workneh, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of humor

Noun

Active noise cancellation helps minimize engine noise and cabin chatter, and bringing your own pair means you’re covered no matter what your particular flight provides.

— Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026
Usually most of that chatter online is about what Kelce chooses to wear.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Aug. 2026