as in joking
marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing
the gently bantering tone of the couple's conversation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in jesting
to make jokes
the teacher bantered pleasantly, albeit a bit awkwardly, with the students at the school dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bantering
Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
And even in his very brief run as Ghostface, Jason does solid work, bantering with his victim about slashers in a convo that would make Carol Clover proud and delivering one of the series’ more creative kills by luring Laura (Samara Weaving) into an alley as her dating-app match.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
One can leave the sauna to cool off and return, continuing the cycle and enjoying the quiet or bantering with fellow sauna-goers.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 2 Feb. 2026
More time is spent with the characters in locker rooms and on benches with players bantering in a vernacular that Tierney is determined to emphasize blurs the line between homosocial and homosexual.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Nov. 2025
Just as Bayazid rose to become tentatively welcome in the shopkeeper’s home, so the shopkeeper rose to a limited bantering acquaintance with his wealthy customers.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Instead, criticism comes to feel just like bantering at a bar.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
Miles also enjoyed bantering with the crowd during the Virginia game.
—Dallas Morning News, 28 Mar. 2026
And even in his very brief run as Ghostface, Jason does solid work, bantering with his victim about slashers in a convo that would make Carol Clover proud and delivering one of the series’ more creative kills by luring Laura (Samara Weaving) into an alley as her dating-app match.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
One can leave the sauna to cool off and return, continuing the cycle and enjoying the quiet or bantering with fellow sauna-goers.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 2 Feb. 2026
More time is spent with the characters in locker rooms and on benches with players bantering in a vernacular that Tierney is determined to emphasize blurs the line between homosocial and homosexual.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Nov. 2025
Just as Bayazid rose to become tentatively welcome in the shopkeeper’s home, so the shopkeeper rose to a limited bantering acquaintance with his wealthy customers.
—Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Instead, criticism comes to feel just like bantering at a bar.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bantering
Verb
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DaPron and Neeley have frequently posted TikTok videos together of them joking about butting heads as sisters, playing tennis and participating in trends.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
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Liam keeps joking about it on Twitter.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In what neatly encapsulates the uncomfortable, rude, thin-skinned yet cruel, sarcastic and ultimately juvenile communication style of his online brood, the leader of the pack started with — what else — Lawrence’s looks.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
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Peters then offered a sarcastic parting line and left the set.—
Ryan Brennan
April 15,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bantering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bantering. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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