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
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
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
-
The charm offensive was benefited Rubio peppering in a number of jokes during his hourlong appearance.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
7 May 2026
-
Thor is now a circus clown — not even a funny one at that — relegated to being the butt of Star-Lord's unfunny jokes and the least-serious Avenger.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
DaPron and Neeley have frequently posted TikTok videos together of them joking about butting heads as sisters, playing tennis and participating in trends.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Liam keeps joking about it on Twitter.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In addition to Miranda's scathing remarks to Andy (Anne Hathaway) while trying to complete seemingly impossible tasks, Emily (Emily Blunt) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci) taught her how to navigate office politics with their own sarcastic comments.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
-
Middle of Nowhere’s Kacey is witty, a bit sarcastic, alternately ecstatic and frustrated but always ready to entertain.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
There are moments when Lily feels lost and anxious, and another scene where a panicked sheep knocks over furniture, although that is played for laughs.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
Even Gawker’s star investigative reporter Adrian Chen, whose exposé of the dark web marketplace Silk Road was a huge scoop, could generate laughs.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
HollywoodReporter,
8 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 conversation includes some light teasing about each other’s attachment styles — the intimate banter of close friends.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
But beneath the lighthearted banter, the personal flattery and the theatrical spectacle that surrounds a royal visit, there remained subtle signs of the deep divisions that have become the most serious test in decades for the long friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 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 11 May. 2026.
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