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persiflage

noun

ˈpər-si-ˌfläzh How to pronounce persiflage (audio)
Definition of persiflagenext
as in joke
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks their tongue-in-cheek persiflage is sometimes mistaken for an exchange of insults by people who don't know them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of persiflage None of this will keep Republicans and conservatives from attacking the reconciliation bill with smoke, mirrors and persiflage. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persiflage
  1. joke
  2. raillery
  3. badinage
  4. banter
  5. laugh
  6. jesting
  7. repartee
  8. humor
Noun
  • The joke refers to Sheeran’s appearance on Chicken Shop Date in November 2021, when Dimoldenberg met the singer at Sam’s Chicken in London.
    — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Thank God for both Jane Wickline and Jeremy Culhane stopping by the desk for funny, clear, and joke-heavy characters.
    — Rima Parikh, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • With time, their caustic raillery transforms into sincere attachment.
    — Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 13 May 2021
  • French’s evocation of place, a rural way of life and overall creepiness are superb, as is the dialogue, a festival of Irish raillery and repartee.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2020
Definition of raillery
Noun
  • Left on their own, boisterous badinage between old school British thespian Shaw and giggly, hyper-ventilating wannabe movie star Dreyfuss has taken hold.
    — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The action flows, the badinage is fast and fun.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Definition of badinage
Noun
  • Harrelson went on to banter with Frazier about just how great McConaughey could be, acting as unofficial campaign manager.
    — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Gilhaus, Schneider and Cambree Sussex embody the friendly banter and interwoven relationships of Cy-Hawk week.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of banter
Noun
  • Pledging love and respecting someone or a relationship can make people feel so uncomfortable that leaning into these tropes of life can feel humorous, and that’s where the laughs from a Hallmark film come from.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Here are some of the posts on X that made the brothers laugh.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
  • 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
Definition of jesting
Noun
  • Through rapid-fire verbal repartee, constant close-ups, and frantic cuts, Deramas treads a careful line between tragedy and comedy, the latter a psychological weapon against the former.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Faith King and Josiah Fagerstrom both deliver delightfully prickly repartee as their characters gradually manage to surpass archetype.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of repartee
Noun
  • They trade glances across the table and crack jokes that don’t always need explaining; the years together have apparently given them their own shorthand and inside humor.
    — Crystal Bell, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Posters on the wall for the studio’s hits include such titles as 2 Weddings and a Cremation and The Janitor Who Knew Too Much, which gives you a hint of the film’s brand of humor.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of humor

Browse Nearby Words

Persian lambs
persiflage
persist
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Cite this Entry

“Persiflage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persiflage. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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