JEST Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'jest' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of jest are fun , game , play , and sport . While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing. // hurt by remarks said only in jest

Q: In what contexts can 'fun' take the place of 'jest'?

Although the words fun and jest have much in common, fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose. // played cards just for fun

Q: How are the words 'game' and 'sport' related as synonyms of 'jest'?

Game is close to sport , and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun. // made game of their poor relations

Q: When is it sensible to use 'play' instead of 'jest'?

The words play and jest can be used in similar contexts, but play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief. // pretended to strangle his brother in play

Q: When could 'sport' be used to replace 'jest'?

The words sport and jest are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone. // teasing begun in sport led to anger

jest 1 of 2

noun

ˈjest

Definition of jest

as in fun

an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously you should know that our teasing was done entirely in jest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in joke

something said or done to cause laughter laughed politely at his feeble jest about his pet mosquito

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in prank

a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke putting a mouse in her desk drawer was intended to be a harmless jest

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in fool

a person or thing that is made fun of his outlandish costumes made him the jest of the town

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

jest

2 of 2

verb

as in to joke

to make jokes when I asked my sister for a loan, she laughingly replied, "Surely you jest!"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun jest differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of jest are fun, game, play, and sport. While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

In what contexts can fun take the place of jest?

Although the words fun and jest have much in common, fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

How are the words game and sport related as synonyms of jest?

Game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

When is it sensible to use play instead of jest?

The words play and jest can be used in similar contexts, but play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

When could sport be used to replace jest?

The words sport and jest are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

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 jest

Noun

Rich Polk—Getty Images Glaser teased Leonardo DiCaprio about dating much younger women, which is a frequent jest made about the dating life of the One Battle After Another star. — Melissa Locker, Time, 12 Jan. 2026 This was all in jest though and while many would object to making homophobia a joke, there didn’t appear to be actual malice behind it, at least from a superficial look. — Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025

Verb

Language There’s some crude language, jesting, and mature comedic themes, but but nothing the modern tween or teen hasn’t seen or heard before. — Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 8 Dec. 2025 And his sense of humor douses jest over images that probably shouldn’t be funny. — Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for jest

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jest

Noun

During a family fun night Monday at Summit Waves in Lee’s Summit, two incidents occurred, one involving a gun, according to the city’s parks and recreation department.

— Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
Across the press tour so far, Zendaya, stylist Law Roach, and glam crew including Casillas and Moreno have had a lot of fun playing with the movie’s concept—method dressing and method glamming.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 July 2026

Definition of fun

Noun

Nathan thinks Joe is teasing him about his cleanliness, and jokes back that Joe hasn’t changed his sheets, either.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 July 2026
The jokes about a modern couple trapped in a magical town stuck more than 200 years in the past hit the mark with just the right amount of bawdy fun.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of joke

Noun

Those people, granted anonymity to speak candidly about the state of play, remain bullish that Paramount will prevail in the end.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Providing chew toys for cats along with food puzzles and rotating play options can help channel that energy.

— Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

Definition of play

Noun

At Balenciaga, where Pierpaolo Piccioli made his debut with bubble silhouettes that reference an iconic dress by the house founder and chez Jean Paul Gaultier, Duran Lantink had the last laugh—as an enfant terrible is wont to do.

— Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 10 July 2026
There are genuine laughs sprinkled in but too many elements land with a thud — including an excessive amount of comedic gore that grows tiresome and a mailman/narrator gag that just isn’t funny.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

Definition of laugh

Noun

Haiti became the first team in FIFA history to qualify without having played one game at home due to gangs’ takeover of its national stadium and the violence in Port-au-Prince.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
More than an intricate game of cat-and-mouse, the crime drama plays on the tensions between nature and nurture while unpacking the dangers and vulnerabilities that come with loving other people.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 July 2026

Definition of game

Noun

Australia responded six minutes later following a trick lineout move involving hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa throwing to scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan at the front, getting the return pass and starting the movement that finished with him scoring.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
By stop-starting Gvardiol — a trick that lulls defenders into a false sense of security — and then faking to go one way and then the other, Messi found space where there seemed to be none and set up Julian Alvarez for Argentina’s third goal.

— Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 10 July 2026

Definition of trick

Cite this Entry

Style

“Jest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jest. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of jest

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on jest

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

obdurate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes