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

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

The beef banter just as easily boils down to recipes and preferences in style and thickness of cuts. — ABC News, 27 June 2026 Romantic conversations could also be witty and exciting, but mixed signals or competitive banter could be irritating. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 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

Modi’s gestures, pauses and mannerisms have been turned into viral edits that turn his own words into political jokes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
The alleged joke bombed, greeted by the dinner attendees with silence.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 July 2026

Definition of joke

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

Sisyphus’s Worst Day Ever is a 3D puzzle game that challenges players to engineer elaborate contraptions to keep Sisyphus trapped in an endless cycle, blending dark humor, inventive puzzle design, and a playful twist on an age-old tale.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 23 July 2026
Formed in 1985 in response to rampant sexism in the art world, the Guerrilla Girls sought to revitalize feminism through the use of humor, protest, street art, and visually engaging graphics.

— News Desk, Artforum, 23 July 2026

Definition of humor

Noun

But for as much financial chatter as there is about what players make and what teams cost, there’s still a major element of the unknown that most coaches believe is working against them.

— Brendan Marks, New York Times, 26 July 2026
The rest ranged from issues like immigration enforcement and Georgia’s marquee races to more surprising chatter about the hometown baseball team.

— Adam Beam, AJC.com, 23 July 2026