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
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
More News: William Byron Just Pulled Off a Daytona 500 Feat Only Four Others Have
Speaking about the incident in an interview, Byron seemed amused by the clever digital jest.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 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
It's done in jest, making fun of the films that came before it that have exhibited genuine concern for a woman's future past her third decade on this planet.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
More News: William Byron Just Pulled Off a Daytona 500 Feat Only Four Others Have
Speaking about the incident in an interview, Byron seemed amused by the clever digital jest.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 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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This clip has reached 39 million views as of Friday, leading to memes on X poking fun at the interaction.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
22 June 2025
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But inside the sanctuary of the studio walls, having fun felt like its own act of vengeance.—
David Mack,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2025
Noun
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Sports officials have been the target of jokes and ire from fans for as long as sports have existed.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
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But Reese isn’t letting herself be treated as the victim of the joke.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
Noun
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During their chat, the conversation turned to some of their less savory SNL jokes, including pranks behind the scenes.—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
20 June 2025
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Spring break is around the corner, and every parent knows the challenge of keeping kids entertained without resorting to handing over their smartphone for an endless scroll of prank videos.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
15 June 2025
Noun
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During a game against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, Cunningham started a brawl between the two teams after several physical plays against Clark.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
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In addition to his offense, the Marlins got some stellar defensive plays, including two back-to-back in the third inning.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
21 June 2025
Noun
-
Y'all gave me a good laugh this morning, so thanks for that!—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
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Her spirit, her fire, her talent, her leadership, her laugh — unforgettable.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
17 June 2025
Noun
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The 6-foot-1 guard, who has a 6-6 wingspan, averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists during 36 games but saw his scoring jump to 16.1 points when he was inserted into the starting lineup for the last 15 contests to help Michigan State reach the Elite Eight.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2025
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After leading the National League in wins and receiving Cy Young Award votes in 2023, Strider appeared in just two games last season.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
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This isn't the first time the former Sports Illustrated model has shared parenting tips and tricks.—
Clare Fisher,
People.com,
23 June 2025
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The magic trick is that Sunny gradually learned how to distinguish its POV from the characters’, showing empathy not only for the Gang’s victims, but also the Gang itself.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2025
Noun
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This was before the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, when hockey was a niche sport in China and the NHL a mere pipe dream.—
John Wawrow,
Chicago Tribune,
24 June 2025
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Add in the realities that beginning about 20 years ago young kids started playing sports year round only increases the mileage, and the risk of something catastrophic.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jest. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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