as in joking
marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing
made jesting comments about my need for serious fashion advice
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in joke
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks
lots of laughter and elbow-nudging jesting at family reunions
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in bantering
to make jokes
when I asked my sister for a loan, she laughingly replied, "Surely you jest!"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jesting
Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
No matter what happened, Dunham could not seem to help posting through it, her public persona one of infinite jesting confession.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Any amount of singing or jesting will be heard by all.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2026
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
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
So much so that a cheeky George Clooney let loose a certain four-letter word while jesting about a fellow actor.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
No matter what happened, Dunham could not seem to help posting through it, her public persona one of infinite jesting confession.
—Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Any amount of singing or jesting will be heard by all.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
Mamdani has said nobody should throw snowballs at cops — jesting that the public should throw them at him instead — but does not see it as a criminal matter.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
So much so that a cheeky George Clooney let loose a certain four-letter word while jesting about a fellow actor.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jesting
Noun
-
Just ask Harris, whose handling of the border under Biden became a running joke in politics.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
-
Now, if there’s some people telling these jokes at a church service, that would be one thing.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
After a while, my joking friend picked up on the other friend’s energy and apologized.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
-
The two have grown close as a regular double-play duo, constantly joking and laughing together in the clubhouse and on the field.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Hollywood celebs ran the gamut, from Brad Pitt—who drove one GT onto the bridge—to Jacob Elordi and Kevin Hart, while Blink 182 played a surprisingly sarcastic mini set.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2026
-
Kara, wearing a vintage Blondie T-shirt and brown trench coat, fights them off while making sarcastic quips, almost Han Solo-like.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
The pitch-black vacuum of space laughs.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
22 May 2026
-
Just another unfunny piece of political propaganda devoid of any laughs whatsoever.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
With time, their caustic raillery transforms into sincere attachment.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
13 May 2021
-
French’s evocation of place, a rural way of life and overall creepiness are superb, as is the dialogue, a festival of Irish raillery and repartee.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
14 Oct. 2020
Noun
-
The ‘banter’ era settled in, with every collapse, every disappointment, every failure amplified in the fever swamps of social media.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
-
Ngannou then engaged in some promotional banter with Paul, who has made a boxing career out of beating martial artists.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Left on their own, boisterous badinage between old school British thespian Shaw and giggly, hyper-ventilating wannabe movie star Dreyfuss has taken hold.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The action flows, the badinage is fast and fun.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Finally, in overcoming this vexing moment, the two would establish a painterly repartee that altered the trajectory of their own work and, by extension, modern art.—
Susan Tallman,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Lindsay-Abaire’s multidirectional repartee gets added zip from the first-rate cast, especially Margaret Colin as the unapologetically blunt Ruth.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jesting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jesting. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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