as in joking
marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing
a joshing response to my earnest question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in joke
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks
for all his joshing, he can be very serious when he needs to be
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in kidding
to make fun of in a good-natured way
don't get all hot and bothered! I'm just joshing you
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in jesting
to make jokes
a very outgoing man who joshes with everyone he meets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of joshing
H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025
Cheryl — who jumped in the mosh pit briefly at the first party — hung out in the back, sitting on her walker and gently joshing Erika’s young son for wearing earplugs while a singer screamed into the microphone.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 13 Nov. 2025
Noun
The humorous joshing and teasing that came out of their initial love just gets worse and worse.
—H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Cranston and Essiedu convey a father-son bond of unusual closeness — hugging, play-fighting, joshing; but this physical proximity will be repeated at the end of the play to devastatingly different effect.
—Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025
Cheryl — who jumped in the mosh pit briefly at the first party — hung out in the back, sitting on her walker and gently joshing Erika’s young son for wearing earplugs while a singer screamed into the microphone.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joshing
Noun
-
The result is chaos, and a few too many jokes about young people not knowing how to work a fax machine or manage paper.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The meta joke is that Radcliffe was a pioneer of acting opposite tennis balls.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There are also cool maps on the local prevalence of certain health conditions, from arthritis and asthma to cancer and high cholesterol to diabetes and depression to — not kidding here — where people have lost all their teeth.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Literally toxic lesbians — kidding.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Shitposting, Topinka explains, makes good-faith engagement impossible and critics look foolish because the shitposter is plausibly joking.—
Malavika Kannan,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Gold medalists Hilary Knight and Megan Keller joined Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie onstage at Saturday Night Live; the Hughes brothers were there too, with some joking around seemingly meant to display a sense that all is good between the men's and women's teams.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But all is not lost for those needing a laugh at Noem’s expense, or at the expense of the department, for that matter.—
Lorraine Ali
News,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In the background of one verse, Yebba lets out a bellowing laugh.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fans are convinced Musgraves is teasing a new album, which her fanbase has dubbed KM6.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Netflix is dishing out a second serving of A24‘s Beef, teasing a first look at the sophomore season of Lee Sung Jin‘s anthology.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In between the clacking tiles and competitive banter, the game allows for conversation and relaxation.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Sparks fly and the two banter, dance and even kiss.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Language There’s some crude language, jesting, and mature comedic themes, but but nothing the modern tween or teen hasn’t seen or heard before.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The action flows, the badinage is fast and fun.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Each bus has a pair of hosts, whose badinage is corny but crowd-pleasing.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Joshing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joshing. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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