Synonyms of joking

joking 1 of 3

adjective

as in kidding

marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing

grinned and gave him a joking nudge with my elbow

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kidding
• sarcastic
• jesting
• bantering
• joshing
• razzing
• mocking
• quizzical
• fooling
• ribbing
• rallying
• funning
• chaffing
• ridiculing
• derisive
• taunting
• baiting
• heckling
• quipping
• jeering
• needling
• bandying
• contemptuous
• derisory
• scornful
• deriding
• hassling
• disdainful

joking

2 of 3

noun

as in jesting

Related Words

• jesting
• funning
• nonsense
• clowning
• tomfoolery
• horseplay
• buffoonery
• childishness
• skylarking
• roughhousing
• foolishness
• clownishness
• silliness
• high jinks
• monkeying
• monkey business
• clownery
• slapstick
• roughhouse
• foolery
• horsing around
• shenanigan(s)
• waggery
• monkeyshine(s)
• boisterousness
• rowdiness
• rowdyism
• trickery
• rambunctiousness
• roguishness
• frivolity
• playfulness
• rumbustiousness
• prankishness
• rascality
• frolicking
• merrymaking
• revelry
• cavorting
• mischievousness
• sporting
• romping
• mischief
• impishness
• devilry
• roistering
• roguery
• gamboling
• knavery
• sportiveness

joking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of joke

1

as in funning

to make jokes

he was known for his ability to joke about his lack of anything resembling a social life

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kidding
• funning
• teasing
• jesting
• amusing
• bantering
• mocking
• quipping
• fooling
• joshing
• jollying
• wisecracking
• yukking
• jiving
• entertaining
• ridiculing
• chaffing
• japing
• gagging
• jeering
• ribbing
• razzing
• cracking wise
• parodying
• ragging
• rallying
• hazing
• satirizing
• caricaturing
• lampooning
• gibing
• diverting

2

as in teasing

to make fun of in a good-natured way

oh, don't get offended, I was just joking you

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kidding
• teasing
• razzing
• joshing
• ribbing
• roasting
• jiving
• chaffing
• bantering
• riding
• jesting
• rallying
• goofing on
• funning
• taking the mickey out of
• fooling
• quipping
• wisecracking
• stringing along
• jollying
• yukking
• japing
• gagging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of joking

Noun

Indeed, at lunch, instead of separating into groups to eat, all 16 participants form one mega table and spend the half-hour joking and laughing together. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026

Many readers — some likely joking — shared their grievances with Elmo. — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026

Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947. — Star-Telegram Staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026

Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026

Still, Yoon’s joking somehow lightens the mood. — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026

Sometimes a playful comment, an unexpected reply or a joking callout between brands takes on a life of its own online. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026

The president has long bristled at the otherwise customary joking at his expense by celebrity comedians. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026

Verb

After joking that the world had finally realized women were simply worse at directing than men, Gyllenhaal gave a serious answer. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

While James was joking about Ferguson, 66, joining the show, the former Duchess of York does have a history of major TV cameos. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026

If everyone is just joking about the topic, the post went viral without being useful for growth. — Zoe Huang, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Morris quickly realized what had happened and reached out to Lambert, joking that the accidental exchange had to be evidence of a memorable night. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 31 Aug. 2026

Garbage’s set was plagued by technical difficulties, but singer Shirley Manson kept her cool, joking that this was just the kind of thing the band was used to. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2026

The beverage brands Liquid Death and Garage Beer teamed up to create the ad, which features former NFL player Jason Kelce joking about using people’s pee to cool the AI data centers. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026

In 2022, comic Li Bo was fined 50,000 yuan ($7,400) for joking about the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in Shanghai and teasing teenagers. — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026

Though some eagle fans had good fun with her name and joking that Shadow was cheating on Jackie, Jolene is considered a bit too young to be thinking about mating. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026