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
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Recent Examples of joking
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
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
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
But Fonda was simply joking, the actress and activist said while kicking off the opening night of the TCM Classic Film Festival on April 30.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Clark's comment prompted joking responses on social media.
—Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Fox News host Jesse Watters was escorted away from King Charles III and Queen Camilla after joking with the Queen about gun violence at the state dinner welcoming the royal couple.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
All joking aside, Šilovs has been good.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Liam keeps joking about it on Twitter.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
This is a serious fridge for people who aren’t joking about their wine collections.
—Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Fermin, who has taken mask-rattling shots fairly frequently this season, was joking and talking with teammates after the game.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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
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
Verb
The romantic energy is strong, but so is the temptation to avoid emotional clarity by joking your way through serious feelings.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
But Fonda was simply joking, the actress and activist said while kicking off the opening night of the TCM Classic Film Festival on April 30.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Clark's comment prompted joking responses on social media.
—Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Fox News host Jesse Watters was escorted away from King Charles III and Queen Camilla after joking with the Queen about gun violence at the state dinner welcoming the royal couple.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
All joking aside, Šilovs has been good.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Liam keeps joking about it on Twitter.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
This is a serious fridge for people who aren’t joking about their wine collections.
—Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Fermin, who has taken mask-rattling shots fairly frequently this season, was joking and talking with teammates after the game.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 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
-
Gosling, of course, was kidding.—
Jake Coyle,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
Just kidding, but that would’ve been awesome.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With The Boys teasing a return for Aya Cash‘s Stormfront in the upcoming prequel series, Eric Kripke has no plans to retcon her motivations.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
-
Shania Twain has fans buzzing after teasing a new single on social media.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 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
-
And Bianco’s rhetoric about forcing changes in state law enforcement — especially on immigration — without the cooperation of Democratic supermajorities in the Legislature is authoritarian nonsense.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
There’s still all this nonsense about the temptation of the female body, and the need for nuns to shield themselves from prying eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 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
-
By widening the lens, Clark is able to redirect the book’s gaze from the mother toward a quizzical, sometimes critical, but not unaffectionate portrait of two generations of political activism, with the attendant self-involvement and domestic negligence.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Carpenter responded with a quizzical frown.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Joking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joking. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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