as in kidding
marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing
grinned and gave him a joking nudge with my elbow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in jesting
Related Words
1
as in funning
to make jokes
he was known for his ability to joke about his lack of anything resembling a social life
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in teasing
to make fun of in a good-natured way
oh, don't get offended, I was just joking you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of joking
Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
There was none of the usual laughing and joking.
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Lindsay says that Jesse was serious about asking, but that the make-out would be a joking make-out.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
The women’s team declined their joking invitation and had to explain comments directed at them.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
The tiny macaque, born on July 26, is often spotted clutching a plush toy from IKEA and has melted hearts across the internet, inspiring a wave of comments from fans half-joking about booking flights to Japan to check on him.
—Joshua Mellin, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Harry Styles is ready to do some late-night joking.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Written in a joking and contemptuous tone, the tweet would take on an indescribably morbid weight just five days later, when, at the behest of Governor Cláudio Castro, the Rio de Janeiro police carried out the deadliest massacre in the country’s history.
—Evandro Cruz Silva, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
Cole follows up with a joking request to appear on an interlude on the forthcoming project, then asks whether West could send him a care package of clothes — which West agrees to — before exiting the stage.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 28 Dec. 2025
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Liam keeps joking about it on Twitter.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
This is a serious fridge for people who aren’t joking about their wine collections.
—Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Fermin, who has taken mask-rattling shots fairly frequently this season, was joking and talking with teammates after the game.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Einbinder committed to the bit, joking she was being called by a producer offstage and getting up to leave the stage as everyone around her laughed.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2026
But after the first year or so, the joking self-awareness had been replaced by earnest reviews of products sent gratis to the girls by skincare brands hoping for shout-outs.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
On the Wednesday episode of the New Heights podcast, Travis and his brother Jason Kelce were joking about Travis going back to college to play basketball in an interview with Jerrod Calhoun, head coach for the University of Cincinnati’s men's team.
—Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
According to these sources, regardless of previous misreporting (or joking by cast and/or crew), there was never an NC-17 (or a Skarsgård) cut of the film.
—Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
There was none of the usual laughing and joking.
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Lindsay says that Jesse was serious about asking, but that the make-out would be a joking make-out.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
The women’s team declined their joking invitation and had to explain comments directed at them.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
The tiny macaque, born on July 26, is often spotted clutching a plush toy from IKEA and has melted hearts across the internet, inspiring a wave of comments from fans half-joking about booking flights to Japan to check on him.
—Joshua Mellin, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Harry Styles is ready to do some late-night joking.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Written in a joking and contemptuous tone, the tweet would take on an indescribably morbid weight just five days later, when, at the behest of Governor Cláudio Castro, the Rio de Janeiro police carried out the deadliest massacre in the country’s history.
—Evandro Cruz Silva, The Dial, 10 Feb. 2026
Cole follows up with a joking request to appear on an interlude on the forthcoming project, then asks whether West could send him a care package of clothes — which West agrees to — before exiting the stage.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 28 Dec. 2025
Verb
DaPron and Neeley have frequently posted TikTok videos together of them joking about butting heads as sisters, playing tennis and participating in trends.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Liam keeps joking about it on Twitter.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
This is a serious fridge for people who aren’t joking about their wine collections.
—Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Fermin, who has taken mask-rattling shots fairly frequently this season, was joking and talking with teammates after the game.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Einbinder committed to the bit, joking she was being called by a producer offstage and getting up to leave the stage as everyone around her laughed.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2026
But after the first year or so, the joking self-awareness had been replaced by earnest reviews of products sent gratis to the girls by skincare brands hoping for shout-outs.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
On the Wednesday episode of the New Heights podcast, Travis and his brother Jason Kelce were joking about Travis going back to college to play basketball in an interview with Jerrod Calhoun, head coach for the University of Cincinnati’s men's team.
—Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
According to these sources, regardless of previous misreporting (or joking by cast and/or crew), there was never an NC-17 (or a Skarsgård) cut of the film.
—Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for joking
Noun
-
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
-
Any amount of singing or jesting will be heard by all.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Just kidding, but that would’ve been awesome.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The interviewer said that Phillips, 65, was not kidding.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Morgan Rogers fired wide from the ensuing chance, yet the sweeping move — teasing passes before going through the gears as play progressed upfield — was what Villa often desire, but can sometime lack.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The footage, revealed on April 22, adopts a dark and scary tone, teasing a body horror film that will be a total departure from anything fans have seen from the DC Universe so far.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In what neatly encapsulates the uncomfortable, rude, thin-skinned yet cruel, sarcastic and ultimately juvenile communication style of his online brood, the leader of the pack started with — what else — Lawrence’s looks.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Peters then offered a sarcastic parting line and left the set.—
Ryan Brennan
April 15,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The mother had died of tuberculosis the previous year and there were no siblings, which was a tremendous benefit in my mother’s eyes—no one to fill her ears with nonsense.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
-
After the usual avalanche of draft-week nonsense, and enough misinformation to fog up half the league, the noise gives way to the decisions.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Carpenter responded with a quizzical frown.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Lane was gifted with that kind of face and personality, too, replete with diagonal eyebrows that join his cheekbones in a quizzical demeanor that, throughout his career, has signaled the joys of life.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Joking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/joking. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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