Banter

Quick meaning: Banter is a noun meaning Sharp, good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.

Meaning

Sharp, good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.

More Meanings

1. (intransitive) To engage in banter or playful conversation.
2. (intransitive) To play or do something amusing.
3. (transitive) To tease (someone) mildly.
4. (transitive) To joke about; to ridicule (a trait, habit, etc.).
5. (transitive) To delude or trick; to play a prank upon.
6. (transitive, US, Southern and Western, colloquial) To challenge to a match.
7. Good-humoured bits of monologue and/or conversational prompts used in any of a wide range of occupations that must frequently interact with the public (for example, store clerks, salespersons, nurses).

Example Sentences

Here comes the muſty trader, running over vvith remonſtrances. I muſt banter the cit.

Hag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then bantered on my haggard looks the next day.

This bullying continuum illustrates the progressive escalation from harmless banter to bullying and criminal behaviours.

Mr. Sweeting was bantered about his stature, he was a little man, a mere boy in height and breadth compared with the athletic Malone, […]

Word Forms

• banters
• bantering
• bantered

Synonyms for banter

Depending on context, synonyms include pleasantry, raillery, kid, wind up, chaff, jolly.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include raillery, backchat, jolly, give-and-take, kid, chaff.

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