jest 1 of 2

noun

ˈjest How to pronounce jest (audio)
Definition of jestnext
1
as in fun
an attitude or manner not to be taken seriously you should know that our teasing was done entirely in jest

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter laughed politely at his feeble jest about his pet mosquito

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in prank
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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4
as in fool
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

jest

2 of 2

verb

as in to joke
to make jokes when I asked my sister for a loan, she laughingly replied, "Surely you jest!"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun jest differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of jest are fun, game, play, and sport. While all these words mean "action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter," jest implies lack of earnestness and may suggest a hoaxing or teasing.

hurt by remarks said only in jest

In what contexts can fun take the place of jest?

Although the words fun and jest have much in common, fun usually implies laughter or gaiety but may imply merely a lack of serious or ulterior purpose.

played cards just for fun

How are the words game and sport related as synonyms of jest?

Game is close to sport, and often stresses mischievous or malicious fun.

made game of their poor relations

When is it sensible to use play instead of jest?

The words play and jest can be used in similar contexts, but play stresses the opposition to earnest without implying any malice or mischief.

pretended to strangle his brother in play

When could sport be used to replace jest?

The words sport and jest are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sport applies especially to the arousing of laughter against someone.

teasing begun in sport led to anger

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 jest
Noun
Murray addressed the incident earlier this year, stating that his actions were done in jest. —Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025 Yet every jest recalled, however late. —David Hochman, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
While Black jested about the possibility of a sequel in his video, the concept has come up in the past. —Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2024 At a Foo Fighters concert last weekend, the Nirvana alum appeared to jest that the pop star doesn’t perform live at her own shows. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 27 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for jest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jest
  1. fun
  2. joke
  3. prank
  4. play
  5. laugh
  6. joking
  7. game
  8. trick
Noun
  • It must be understood that historical references to this team are like prompts on an online dating profile — not under any circumstances to be taken seriously, but a fun jumping off point.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Each detail represented the young princess’s developing aesthetic—one that was vibrant, feminine, and fun.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of fun
Noun
  • Talk about the weather, add some jokes in there about some of the guys on the team and just stuff like that.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The event, held at the Montana Hotel in Pétion-Ville, was the butt of jokes on social media amid questions over the group’s authority to act.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • Broken eggs placed in bed as a prank are an excuse for Heathcliff to let the goo drip suggestively across his calloused hand.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Years of insults and diss tracks and pranks and social media posts have followed, with small islands of peace floating by from time to time.
    — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of prank
Noun
  • Imagine banishing stuffed animals from the living room, corralling all the toy cars outside the main bedroom, and finally finding a place for that play kitchen that isn’t your actual kitchen.
    — Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 11 Feb. 2026
  • In Remy Bumppo Theatre Company’s new production of Henrik Ibsen’s 1891 play, directed by Marti Lyons, the design team takes this line to heart, using a monochrome purple palette to represent Hedda’s claustrophobic world (scenic design by Joe Schermoly).
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of play
Noun
  • Fifteen years later, Black is having the last laugh.
    — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Seekers of Infinite Love balances big laughs with big feelings, and the cast delivers in a way that makes the film both distinctive and relatable.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • 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
  • Our poll’s options include a joking reference to Dan Marino.
    — Greg Cote December 20, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
Definition of joking
Noun
  • For the next five years, only one game per season was played in London, with many owners skeptical about sacrificing revenue from home games in a market dominated by the Premier League.
    — Tom Chitty, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
  • He has not been formally charged with cheating by World Curling, which does not use video to review game play.
    — STEVE DOUGLAS, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Definition of game
Noun
  • Seven of the 12 finalists fell in their first run in snowy conditions, which made landing tricks more of a challenge.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Van Der Beek, twisting his remarkable life into a piece of comedy, pulled the same kind of trick.
    — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Definition of trick

Browse Nearby Words

jerry-rigged
jest
jested
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Cite this Entry

“Jest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jest. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of jest for Spanish Speakers

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