raillery

noun

ˈrā-lə-rē How to pronounce raillery (audio)
Definition of raillerynext
as in badinage
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks Luke had to put up with a lot of raillery from his sister the first time he asked a girl for a date

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 raillery 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, 14 Oct. 2020 Some may feel, in this Trumpus Caesar summer, that such raillery, let alone the underlying idea of trying to understand why Americans have shot presidents, is an untoward or trite provocation. — Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raillery
  1. badinage
  2. laugh
  3. joke
  4. jesting
  5. banter
  6. persiflage
  7. humor
  8. repartee
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
  • There was nothing particularly novel about the show’s premise, but the scripts were refreshingly dense with jokes, prioritizing laughs over contrived drama or seasonlong relationship arcs.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The trooper is conscious, in good spirits and able to have conversations, laugh and smile, according to Sgt.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Now the adults are growing up a little bit, and that adds depth to the show but doesn’t sacrifice jokes.
    — Emily Gould, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • His cutlery’s subtly unusual proportions manage to be elegant and playful at the same time, like that perfect joke that lands gracefully at a cocktail party, where everyone laughs and nobody chortles.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of joke
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
  • Kids zip by on bikes, their playful banter a reminder that life marches on.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Lightening the darkness of the story in the early scenes are the playfulness, banter and sexiness Lou and James.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of banter
Noun
  • 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
Definition of persiflage
Noun
  • Of the recent tide of Gen-Z offerings, this is the best of the bunch, with its mix of absurdist humor and heartfelt sentiment.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • By using humor to upend expectations about how women should behave.
    — Stephanie Vander Wel, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of humor
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

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railings
raillery
railroad
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Cite this Entry

“Raillery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raillery. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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