1
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
laughed politely at his feeble jest about his pet mosquito
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in pranks
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
3
as in fools
a person or thing that is made fun of
his outlandish costumes made him the jest of the town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in quips
to make jokes
when I asked my sister for a loan, she laughingly replied, "Surely you jest!"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jests
Usa Today, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
Be sure that your jests don’t become insults!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jests
Noun
-
Often the jokes are tied to an upcoming holiday or event.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
The Tribeca Film Festival has publicly condemned jokes made on the red carpet at the premiere of The Wedding Entertainer (The Tale of Moishe Badhan).—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Jokes and pranks and magic tricks.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
-
The festival is rooted in the story of Lord Krishna, the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is said to have played pranks by splashing maids with water and colors.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
There are some laughs that are pretty regular, consistent.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
For Marlon Wayans, comedy isn’t simply about the laughs.—
Datwon Thomas,
VIBE.com,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jests. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
