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

There was virtually no between-song banter of any consequence, no effort to even introduce the band, which includes rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, a nephew of Angus who replaced the late AC/DC co-founder Malcolm Young, who died in 2017. — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Kids zip by on bikes, their playful banter a reminder that life marches on. — Michael Collins, USA Today, 27 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

In their new home, the past clings to Everton; restless, a bad joke, craving more, loud, glorious.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
The vice president warned during the event that her threat was not a joke.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of joke

Noun

O’Connell appeared to joke about the marathon applause with Boyle, prompting laughs from his co-stars Claire Foy and Pearce.

— Ellise Shafer, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Its format — multi-cam, laugh-tracked, with the occasional fourth-wall-breaking aside — is one that would have been in vogue when Martin originally aired.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 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

Director Margaret Shigeko Starbuck leans into makeshift theatricality — flashlights, pool noodles, pocket umbrellas — while a nimble ensemble balances meta-theatrical humor with genuine feeling for Pericles and his beleaguered family.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Throughout the financial troubles that the couple face given Fyodor’s inability to deliver pages, Szumowska and Englert feature scatological humor that further dissolves any notions of elegance associated with 19th-century Europe.

— Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of humor

Noun

Four years after the original and in the wake of persistent movie trivia chatter, the series finally lands in Hollywood with Scream 3.

— Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
Cocktail chatter on the Lido held that this was a more minor work than anticipated, and many of those positive reviews nevertheless included a few bum notes.

— Nate Jones, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026