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
Relevance
as in jesting
Related Words
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
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of joking
Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Lindsay says that Jesse was serious about asking, but that the make-out would be a joking make-out.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
The women’s team declined their joking invitation and had to explain comments directed at them.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
The tiny macaque, born on July 26, is often spotted clutching a plush toy from IKEA and has melted hearts across the internet, inspiring a wave of comments from fans half-joking about booking flights to Japan to check on him.
—Joshua Mellin, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Harry Styles is ready to do some late-night joking.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Written in a joking and contemptuous tone, the tweet would take on an indescribably morbid weight just five days later, when, at the behest of Governor Cláudio Castro, the Rio de Janeiro police carried out the deadliest massacre in the country’s history.
—Evandro Cruz Silva, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
Cole follows up with a joking request to appear on an interlude on the forthcoming project, then asks whether West could send him a care package of clothes — which West agrees to — before exiting the stage.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 28 Dec. 2025
Our poll’s options include a joking reference to Dan Marino.
—Greg Cote
december 20, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
On March 27, Perry shared another Instagram carousel from a recent date night, joking about their age difference.
—Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
On the Wednesday episode of the New Heights podcast, Travis and his brother Jason Kelce were joking about Travis going back to college to play basketball in an interview with Jerrod Calhoun, head coach for the University of Cincinnati’s men's team.
—Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
The unusual survival of the snack soon sparked reactions online, with many commentators joking about the resilience of the popular cheese puffs.
—Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
According to these sources, regardless of previous misreporting (or joking by cast and/or crew), there was never an NC-17 (or a Skarsgård) cut of the film.
—Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Comedian Charlie Berens also popularized the ritual, joking that it can be broken down into recognizable steps.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Over the radio, Bing Crosby is crooning, Bob Hope is joking, and news of the war — against Hitler, against Japan — keeps sizzling and crackling across the dial.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Some of the people in line began joking around the effigy, which is as tall as the real Maduro.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
There was none of the usual laughing and joking.
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Lindsay says that Jesse was serious about asking, but that the make-out would be a joking make-out.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
The women’s team declined their joking invitation and had to explain comments directed at them.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
The tiny macaque, born on July 26, is often spotted clutching a plush toy from IKEA and has melted hearts across the internet, inspiring a wave of comments from fans half-joking about booking flights to Japan to check on him.
—Joshua Mellin, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Harry Styles is ready to do some late-night joking.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Written in a joking and contemptuous tone, the tweet would take on an indescribably morbid weight just five days later, when, at the behest of Governor Cláudio Castro, the Rio de Janeiro police carried out the deadliest massacre in the country’s history.
—Evandro Cruz Silva, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
Cole follows up with a joking request to appear on an interlude on the forthcoming project, then asks whether West could send him a care package of clothes — which West agrees to — before exiting the stage.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 28 Dec. 2025
Our poll’s options include a joking reference to Dan Marino.
—Greg Cote
december 20, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
Verb
But after the first year or so, the joking self-awareness had been replaced by earnest reviews of products sent gratis to the girls by skincare brands hoping for shout-outs.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
On March 27, Perry shared another Instagram carousel from a recent date night, joking about their age difference.
—Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
On the Wednesday episode of the New Heights podcast, Travis and his brother Jason Kelce were joking about Travis going back to college to play basketball in an interview with Jerrod Calhoun, head coach for the University of Cincinnati’s men's team.
—Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
The unusual survival of the snack soon sparked reactions online, with many commentators joking about the resilience of the popular cheese puffs.
—Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
According to these sources, regardless of previous misreporting (or joking by cast and/or crew), there was never an NC-17 (or a Skarsgård) cut of the film.
—Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Comedian Charlie Berens also popularized the ritual, joking that it can be broken down into recognizable steps.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Over the radio, Bing Crosby is crooning, Bob Hope is joking, and news of the war — against Hitler, against Japan — keeps sizzling and crackling across the dial.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Some of the people in line began joking around the effigy, which is as tall as the real Maduro.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joking
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,
Kansas City Star,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There's a dazzling cigar lounge and bar, both conceived by none other than hotel designer of the moment, Martin Brudnizki (of Annabel’s; Fouquets; and Fifth Avenue Hotel fame); a sleek omakase restaurant; and even a 4,000-year-old fossil parked unassumingly outside a set of toilets (not kidding).—
Divia Thani,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Apr. 2026
-
DeVos wasn’t kidding, and on Monday, in front of close friends and family, current and former Magic executives and employees and local community leaders, a plaque was unveiled with Martins’ name on it at the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame that’s located in Kia Center on the terrace level.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Since then, Swalwell’s support among organized labor, congressional allies and campaign donors has evaporated in the week since liberal influencers began posting vague accusations that Swalwell abused female staff and teasing forthcoming investigative articles.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Lena Dunham‘s memoir Famesick is out on Tuesday, and the writer-actress has been teasing some of the bombshell revelations in various interviews.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The fans gave him a sarcastic slow-clap, prompting him to wave his arms in encouragement.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
So sarcastic remarks can be ironic, but ironic remarks are not necessarily sarcastic.—
Ayana Archie,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With Sporting well aware of their underdog status and Arsenal feeling fragile after successive defeats, all of this respect nonsense led to, frankly, a dog of a game that felt like anything but a Champions League quarter-final.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
And thus one of the more wholesome and fun events in the White House calendar was besmirched by a man who simply cannot stop with the zero-sum partisan nonsense even when surrounded by impressionable young faces.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Carpenter responded with a quizzical frown.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Lane was gifted with that kind of face and personality, too, replete with diagonal eyebrows that join his cheekbones in a quizzical demeanor that, throughout his career, has signaled the joys of life.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Joking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joking. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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