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

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

Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial. — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026

There was none of the usual laughing and joking. — Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026

Verb

The au naturel prix-fixes ignited controversy the moment the restaurant’s flyer started circulating on social media in late June, with most chatter ranging from joking to serious, bawdy to scandalized. — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026

The video then cuts to footage of Reese and Bueckers, apparently at practice during last weekend’s All-Star festivities in Chicago, joking around and making a friendly wager with each other on the Dream-Wings game later that week. — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

Reynolds could be seen joking around with a larger-than-life Olaf from Frozen, posing with a fan donning a Deadpool jersey, and swinging a faux sword with another Deadpool cosplayer, who donned the character’s original red suit. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026

If everyone is joking about one line in the comments, use it. — Kelly Samuel, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

As for coming to America in 2026, who would shoulder the exorbitant costs and the travel challenges, let alone the risk of being pulled out of a line at the Atlanta airport, interrogated, and sent back home for joking about penalty shoot-outs? — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

Perhaps just not serious enough for Kerr to resist joking that the job is already done and the player is secured. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Stickler may or may not have hinted about the end of the relationship in April, joking about an ex-boyfriend. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026

Thursday evening, joking about his suspension last year for his comments about reactions to conservator commentator Charlie Kirk’s death. — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 20 June 2026