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
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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
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
Noun
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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
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In The Kitchen, Wesker tracked the decorum from friendly badinage to hostile vernacular that co-workers sustain just to get through the day.—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Her spirit, her fire, her talent, her leadership, her laugh — unforgettable.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
17 June 2025
-
Y'all gave me a good laugh this morning, so thanks for that!—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
Noun
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Sports officials have been the target of jokes and ire from fans for as long as sports have existed.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
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But Reese isn’t letting herself be treated as the victim of the joke.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
Noun
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Kelly’s return to Detroit — his first one as a big-league manager — and his latest reunion with Hinch made for eventful pregame banter.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
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Between bites and banter, the women learn about Jab Jab—a Grenadian tradition rooted in resistance.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
15 June 2025
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
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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
Noun
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Superhero cinema has dominated since then, and Brad Bird's visual style and humor feel less novel.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 June 2025
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Friday, March 27: This dance troupe blends traditional African styles with those from Black fraternities and sororities and contemporary forms in a show that also features storytelling, humor and audience participation.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2025
Noun
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His brother Richard Rosenthal is Somebody Feed Phil’s executive producer and showrunner; their on-camera repartee is a golden fan-favorite.—
Laura Manske,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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Most voters are worried about high prices for food, energy and housing, rather than their leader’s Oval Office repartee.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Kristen Bell is using her final moments as the 2025 SAG Awards host for some good old-fashioned ribbing!—
Esther Kang,
People.com,
24 Feb. 2025
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The tequila comes in clear square bottles wrapped in ribbing, but the high-end extra anejo expression is jet black.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Raillery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raillery. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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