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
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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 to joke
to make jokes
when I asked my sister for a loan, she laughingly replied, "Surely you jest!"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jest
Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
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
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
Noun
Others are posting videos about how to recession-proof your life, from starting a garden to cheap meal ideas — all in varying degrees of jest.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
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
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
Noun
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Best Gifts for Teens When looking for gifts for teens, consider products that align with their interests and passions, such as a practical bucket hat inspired by their favorite K-pop show or a fun crochet kit.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
6 Nov. 2025
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That’s because the next outpost of his Carbone empire is opening on Friday, a place that blends Italian nostalgic elegance with the restaurant’s typical modern flair for fun.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Expect conversations that catch you off-guard, and jokes that turn into shocking revelations.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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The Special Olympics are not amused after Kid Rock used an ableist slur while making a joke in a recent Fox News interview.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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What a great prank to pull on your deer hunting buddy.—
Josh Honeycutt,
Outdoor Life,
30 Oct. 2025
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The comedy horror film revolves around Brian (Tyler Perry) forbidding his daughter Tiffany (Diamond White) from attending a frat party, which sets off a string of Halloween pranks.—
Ariana Quihuiz,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The obvious play here would be to fade the team that just traded away its two best defensive players.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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Country is second at 22%, though its dominance of Frontline-eligible songs remains, accounting for 41% of plays, followed by pop (19%), rap (14%) and rock (12%).—
Kevin Rutherford,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The movie has a brief mocking glimpse of MTV, just for a cheap laugh, when Springsteen is flipping channels between Badlands reruns.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
2 Nov. 2025
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Come to see Stone get her head shaved, stay for big laughs, darkly incisive commentary, and incredible performances from Stone, Plemons, and newcomer Aidan Delbis in this absurdist black comedy.—
EW Staff,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Self was in a joking mood when asked about the squad’s stellar defensive play.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Jones eventually got into his joking bag, and Bleek took that opportunity to seriously set the record straight one last time.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Jays were two outs away from the title when Miguel Rojas hit a solo home run in the ninth to tie the game at 4-4.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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Another Dodger Japanese pitching star, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was the series' MVP after winning three games, also spoke in English.—
Steve Futterman,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The oldest trick in the book … foiled by those pesky Bravo cameras.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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The next evolution of creative culture isn’t faster turnaround or cooler AI tricks.—
Rochelle Ratkaj,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jest. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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