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
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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
As Nixon’s political strategist, Kevin Phillips, told the New York Times in 1970:
All the talk about Republicans making inroads into the Negro vote is persiflage.
—Jane Coaston, Vox, 12 Oct. 2018
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2022
As Nixon’s political strategist, Kevin Phillips, told the New York Times in 1970:
All the talk about Republicans making inroads into the Negro vote is persiflage.
—Jane Coaston, Vox, 12 Oct. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persiflage
Noun
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Related Stories Farrelly thinks that kind of oppressive political correctness is fading and that audiences are eager to see movies that eviscerate good taste in order to land a joke again.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
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What started as a joke soon turned into a tourism draw that put Lajitas on the map.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
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
Noun
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The action flows, the badinage is fast and fun.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
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Each bus has a pair of hosts, whose badinage is corny but crowd-pleasing.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Noun
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This could come in the form of flirty banter, a spontaneous run-in, or perhaps someone finally confessing their crush on you.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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The show hit another peak after a mid-set lull, which Liam valiantly tried to shake off with stories, jokes, and playful crowd banter — a side of him more familiar offstage than on.—
Lily Moayeri,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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However, if you're pressed for time, check out the shorts Mike's New Car (2001) and Party Central (2014) for some quick laughs.—
Sydni Ellis,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Her voice has been sharp, sometimes saucy, and could be silken — then let out a bell-ringing laugh.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But mainly the kids banter in pig Latin or in a screwball repartee fashioned from overheard adult speech.—
Dan Chiasson,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
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Balki and cousin Larry slipped right into their old repartee from the beloved ABC sitcom.—
Ryan Coleman Published,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
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There are scenes of strange, often violent pathos that punctuate the potty humor and punch-throwing.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ken is a more marginal figure by design, though his British cringe humor never stops feeling somewhat at odds with the show’s small-city, Midwest setting.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Day 2 of school and the wheat’s already been separated from the chaff.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Aug. 2025
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After hiring an industry executive, the company figured out how to separate the valuable ore from the chaff.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persiflage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persiflage. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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