banter
verb
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Definition of banter
(Entry 1 of 2)
banter
nounDefinition of banter (Entry 2 of 2)
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Other Words from banter
Verb
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noun
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adverb
Synonyms for banter
Synonyms: Verb
chaff, fool, fun, gag, jape, jest, jive, joke, jolly, josh, kid, quip, wisecrack, yuk (or yuck) [slang]
Synonyms: Noun
backchat, badinage, chaff, give-and-take, jesting, joshing, persiflage, raillery, repartee
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Examples of banter in a Sentence
Verb
the teacher bantered pleasantly, albeit a bit awkwardly, with the students at the school danceNoun
I enjoyed hearing their good-natured banter. members of the Algonquin Round Table were known for their brilliant and witty banter
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
On most teams, the outfielders stroll in silence or bantering lightly off the field between innings. — Stephanie Apstein, SI.com, "To the Nationals, Juan Soto Isn't Bryce Harper. He Might Be Better," 15 Aug. 2019 Dylan was also seen working on music with Johnny Cash, and, looking and sounding strung out, bantering nonsensically with John Lennon in the back of a car in London. — Hillel Italie, Washington Post, "D.A. Pennebaker, filmmaker who brought cinĂ©ma vĂ©ritĂ© to culture and politics, dies at 94," 5 Aug. 2019 As the final live debate of the Conservative leadership contest came to an end on Monday evening, the two men competing to be Britainâs next Prime Minister turned to one another, smiled, and bantered out of range of the roomâs microphones. — Billy Perrigo, Time, "On the Cusp of Power, Boris Johnson's Inflammatory Language on Islam Returns to Haunt Him," 16 July 2019 Hong seemed to know most of the other folks seated at the counter, bantering with some bros from the upstairs co-working space while seemingly simultaneously handling the rice, slicing the dayâs fish, and ringing up to-go bento-box orders. — Julia Kramer, Bon AppĂ©tit, "This 8-Seat Hand Roll Counter in Seattle Is My Lunchtime Happy Place," 9 July 2019 After the game, Lowry and Leonard sat down for an interview with ESPNâs Rachel Nichols, and Nichols later posted a video of the pair bantering before the formal conversation began. — Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, "The Raptorsâ Joyous N.B.A. Finals Victory Brings the Warriors Dynasty to an End," 14 June 2019 The two would often banter back and forth about the issues of the day. — Riley Murdock, azcentral, "Former state lawmaker Doug Todd, who paved the way for Arizona freeways, has died," 5 June 2019 First came Amy Schumerâs use of the C-word while bantering with Jennifer Lawrence. — Vogue, "The Most Shocking Golden Globe Moments of All Time," 3 Jan. 2019 Stuart and his band showcased its country tunes while bantering with audience. — Ed Condran, Philly.com, "Hall & Oates' Hoagie Nation returns to Festival Pier for its second year," 27 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
As evidenced in the trailer, the years havenât changed the banter and relationship between playboy Mike Lowrey (Smith) and family man Marcus Burnett (Lawrence), who are reunited when a revenge-seeking bad guy comes looking for them. — Derek Lawrence, EW.com, "Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are back together in first Bad Boys for Life trailer," 4 Sep. 2019 On Saturday, chill grooves welcomed early arrivals, with local act GoodSex offering friendly banter and Ford., who followed, added to the atmospheric sounds opening the Pavilion mainstage. — Althea Legaspi, chicagotribune.com, "North Coast fest review: New venue, new vibe with returning headliners Bassnectar, Major Lazer," 30 Aug. 2019 Comedian and magician Robert Nash will entertain young and old alike with magical effects, humorous banter and a funny fortune. — Donna Freedman, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska State Fair 2019: Fun from A to Z," 15 Aug. 2019 Their dynamic is somewhere between friendly banter and office hours. — Travis Deshong, Washington Post, "In the age of ear buds and audiobooks, they want to be the voices in your head," 12 Aug. 2019 There is too much banter and not enough planning, too many opinions and not enough strategies. — Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, "Letter: To truly help, expedite paths to citizenship AND deportation," 21 July 2019 That banter and the mimosa kept me entertained until my food arrived. — Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, "A Day in the Neighborhood: Headed to NuLu? I hope you're hungry (and thirsty)," 10 July 2019 The banter and comradery between them go back to their longtime friendship when all three were with the Knicks. — Joe Reedy, The Denver Post, "ESPNâs Mark Jackson âsees game like very few othersâ," 10 June 2019 Will Flemming and Ken Laird more engaged in the in-game banter than in the past. — Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, "Sean McDonough tops cast of rotating Red Sox announcers," 27 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'banter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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