Synonyms of jest

jest 1 of 2

noun

ˈjest 

1

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

• fun
• play
• game
• sport
• silliness
• flippancy
• facetiousness
• levity
• frivolity
• frivolousness
• flightiness
• frothiness
• light-mindedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• earnest
• seriousness
• gravity
• earnestness
• solemnity
• sobriety
• soberness

2

as in joke

something said or done to cause laughter

laughed politely at his feeble jest about his pet mosquito

Synonyms & Similar Words

• joke
• laugh
• joking
• jape
• witticism
• pleasantry
• giggle
• wisecrack
• gag
• quip
• funny
• drollery
• one-liner
• sally
• rib
• waggery
• josh
• scream
• prank
• yuk
• boff
• parody
• nifty
• crack
• funning
• humorousness
• riot
• kidding
• boffola
• humor
• buffoonery
• raillery
• leg-pull
• comedy
• banter
• trick
• mock
• antic
• wisecracking
• mockery
• facetiousness
• caper
• persiflage
• practical joke
• lampoon
• panic
• knee-slapper
• put-on
• repartee
• burlesque
• wordplay
• riff
• caricature
• funniness
• wit
• drollness
• hilariousness
• monkeyshine(s)
• thigh-slapper

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prank
• joking
• trick
• adventure
• experience
• antic
• escapade
• gag
• caper
• knavery
• kidding
• roguery
• practical joke
• waggery
• capriccio
• time
• frolic
• dido
• shine(s)
• rag
• game
• monkeyshine(s)
• lark
• shavie
• feat
• skylarking
• performance
• horseplay
• tomfoolery
• teasing
• deed
• hoax
• stunt
• play
• rowdyism
• roughhousing
• high jinks
• mission
• gambit
• ruse
• whimsy
• ploy
• vagary
• subterfuge
• stratagem
• fooling
• whim
• trickery
• deception
• shenanigan(s)
• maneuver
• conceit
• caprice
• deceit
• wile
• delusion
• sham
• fraud
• hanky-panky
• fancy
• hoodwinking

4

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

• joke
• fool
• target
• mock
• mockery
• butt
• derision
• victim
• sport
• laughingstock
• mark
• pigeon
• monkey
• sucker
• gull
• chump
• sap
• dupe
• fall guy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• favorite
• pet
• darling

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

• joke
• fun
• quip
• banter
• fool
• jape
• jolly
• kid
• wisecrack
• ridicule
• jive
• amuse
• gag
• tease
• josh
• jeer
• gibe
• crack wise
• parody
• yuk
• chaff
• rag
• mock
• razz
• satirize
• rib
• haze
• caricature
• entertain
• lampoon
• rally
• divert

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

Recent Examples of jest

Noun

Sellner positioned the memes as something that could be taken in jest. — Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026

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

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