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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to joke
to make jokes
when I asked my sister for a loan, she laughingly replied, "Surely you jest!"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025
Teams seemingly snatched valuable free agents left and right while the Dolphins’ inactivity became a point of jest for national pundits like Pat McAfee.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025
Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023
This led him to jest about a personal request from viewers.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 2 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for jest
Noun
Boucher’s enfants practice the arts and sciences both as a jest—a child of five can do this—and as an Enlightenment homage to the unclouded natural mind.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025
Teams seemingly snatched valuable free agents left and right while the Dolphins’ inactivity became a point of jest for national pundits like Pat McAfee.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
The two also jested about their pet peeves about each other.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023
This led him to jest about a personal request from viewers.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 2 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for jest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jest
Noun
-
Here are a few other new names to know, old names to remember, broadcast predictions and fun matchups to set the Thursday pregame off right.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Most Novelty House beds are incredibly fun, and this tree house design will delight anyone who gets to sleep within its walls.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Though the movie is accessible to new fans, there are plenty of winks and nods for diehards who can understand what might seem, to the uninitiated, like cheesy moments—a cringeworthy English rap verse, a scene parodying the product placement in K-dramas—as self-aware jokes.—
Yvonne Kim,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
-
That means having to cut jokes that don't fit his do-no-harm MO.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Brown was charged with misdemeanor misusing 911 — a charge one expert said is typically brought against prank callers, not those in a mental crisis.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Still, Shannon promised, no pranks this time, because the movie at hand is too important.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That’s not to mention all of the other related businesses that have thrived on semiconductor plays as AI-specific GPUs and other tools emerge.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Pittman is referring to the 6-4 left-hander Austin Simmons, who suffered a left ankle injury in the fourth quarter of Ole Miss’ 30-23 win last week at Kentucky to open league play.—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
What captured millions of TikTok users' hearts was the pure joy that can be heard in her son’s laughs as her husband shields him from the rain.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The ratio of laughs to drama changes quite sharply, however, as Joan takes her hostages off on their journey, leading to a bond with Tyler and a lot of unexpected revelations about Joan’s background.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Multiple outlets that examined the reporting identified the claim as unverified and labeled the story a hoax; Colbert had previously made a joking on-air reference to streaming platforms but had not announced any deal with Netflix.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Even if the recovery leans toward the shorter end of the timeline, Coulibaly will need a ramp-up before returning to game action.—
Grant Afseth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Solid foods are not subject to the rule, so anything is game, from a few slices of NYC pizza to rellenitos from Guatemala.—
Jessie Beck,
AFAR Media,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
So the real trick was creating a hue with blendability that people were willing to reapply.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The Luray Caverns feel almost magical—complete with musical instruments built into the walls, mirror-like lakes that play tricks on your eyes, and even a wishing well tucked into the underground pathways.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jest. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share