jest 1 of 2

noun

ˈjest How to pronounce jest (audio)
Definition of jestnext
1
as in fun
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously you should know that our teasing was done entirely in jest

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter laughed politely at his feeble jest about his pet mosquito

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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

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4
as in fool
a person or thing that is made fun of his outlandish costumes made him the jest of the town

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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
Boucher’s enfants practice the arts and sciences both as a jest—a child of five can do this—and as an Enlightenment homage to the unclouded natural mind. —Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025 Teams seemingly snatched valuable free agents left and right while the Dolphins’ inactivity became a point of jest for national pundits like Pat McAfee. —C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
The two also jested about their pet peeves about each other. —Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023 This led him to jest about a personal request from viewers. —Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 2 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for jest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jest
  1. fun
  2. joke
  3. prank
  4. play
  5. laugh
  6. joking
  7. game
  8. trick
Noun
  • While the average cruise length is around seven days, short sailings can pack an entire vacation’s worth of fun into a mid-week getaway or long weekend.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Our little group was having too much fun trying to learn about the spirit to give him another shot at selecting a bourbon.
    — Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of fun
Noun
  • According to The New York Times, Chappelle — who has been under fired for his transphobic jokes in the past — used his comedy set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival to speak about the lack of freedom of speech in the United States, especially in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
  • People taking offense at jokes simply didn’t land as a news story anymore.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of joke
Noun
  • Her ascent in the digital content space started out with prank phone calls and comedy sketches inspired by her Southern Belle upbringing that drew over 3 million followers on TikTok.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The show takes that fleeting prank and asks what happens when disguise isn’t a joke but a lifeline, when the mask becomes the only face the world will accept.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Definition of prank
Noun
  • The Irish had chunk plays in both the run and pass games.
    — Matt Hayes, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Now, a key question is which specific companies will prove to be a smart play, or a bust, for their investors.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Definition of play
Noun
  • In fact, the toddler's laugh can actually be heard on the record.
    — Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Like most anthologies, horror or otherwise, they can be hit or miss, though just about every one of the individual segments in the franchise is good for a scare or at least a laugh.
    — A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Only an Aries, like Lily, can take Barney’s jabs in a joking way.
    — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
  • When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.
    — Michael Nied, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Definition of joking
Noun
  • In early 2024, chief selector George Bailey effectively said Renshaw was viewed as the seventh-best batter in the country, having been in the 2023 Ashes squad for the opening two games.
    — Sam Dalling, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • In the skit, a camera catches fans at a game dancing and cuts to the two who dump their popcorns, do the robot and then turn back-to-back and pose.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
Definition of game
Noun
  • The fast food giant announced the return of the classic Halloween item, which makes the perfect vessel for storing candy that is picked up while making the rounds of trick-or-treating.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Basically, a kid goes out trick-or-treating on Halloween.
    — Melissa Willets, Parents, 7 Oct. 2025
Definition of trick

Browse Nearby Words

jerry-rigged
jest
jested
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jest. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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