1
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
laughed politely at his feeble jest about his pet mosquito
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2
as in pranks
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
putting a mouse in her desk drawer was intended to be a harmless jest
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3
as in fools
a person or thing that is made fun of
his outlandish costumes made him the jest of the town
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in quips
to make jokes
when I asked my sister for a loan, she laughingly replied, "Surely you jest!"
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Recent Examples of jests
Usa Today, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
Be sure that your jests don’t become insults!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jests
Noun
-
One of his jokes in particular has drawn new attention, given the shooting incident at the dinner on Saturday, forcing the Secret Service to rush the Trumps and other administration officials from the dais and other seats near the stage.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Kimmel delivered the jokes about the first lady at a special version of his show that included his version of a fake monologue for the WHCD.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And compared to some of Fleury’s past pranks on teammates, a few misplaced letters on a nameplate would be relatively light.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Of course, the pranks are all in good fun, with owners keeping things safe and playful.—
Kendall Malinchock,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the masterminds behind NBC‘s Saturday Night Live Season 51 brought the laughs all the way from Studio 8H to the DGA Theater to break down the process behind keeping the iconic sketch comedy engine running after more than five decades for Deadline Contenders TV.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Their laughs and chatter fill the countryside and one another’s hearts, the merriment binding them all together like caterpillars in one big cocoon.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jests. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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