Jesting

/ˈd͡ʒɛstɪŋ/

Synonyms for "jesting" (74 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: attic, banter, bantering, biting, brilliant.
  • Sentence evidence is available for jesting, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "jesting".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "jesting"

Keep "jesting" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "jesting" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "jesting", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "jesting" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

6 relation types

More general

8 entries
communicationdescriptive adjectivehumorjokemoodpersonality traitsocial behaviorspeech act

More specific

15 entries

Collocations

16 entries
academic jestingbanterbantering stylejesting asidejesting commentsjesting mannerjesting remarkjesting remarksjesting tonejocularityjoshing remarkslighthearted jestingplayful jestingraillery usageribbingwordplay

Inflections

5 entries
jestedjestingsjestsmore jestingmost jesting

Derivations

4 entries

similar

2 entries

Sample sentences

5 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

For people who live in a culture where most of their interests are shared by most others as a matter of course, it can be easy to overlook those who don't fit into their mold. That's why N'Gai Croal, technology editor for Newsweek magazine and an African-American, is only half jesting when he says that the results from search engines often reflect "the tyranny of the majority."

Source: tatoeba (12286261)

Long jesting was never good.

Source: tatoeba (13677905)

Yet in the midst of all her pure protestings, / Her faith, her oaths, her tears and all were jestings.

Source: wiktionary

What an extraordinary mental delusion jesting is; that sort of laboured vivacity which fancies it is pointed when it is only personal; and more extraordinary still, it is always the resource of stupid people.

Source: wiktionary

Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "jesting"?

Closest matches include attic, banter, bantering, biting, brilliant.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "jesting"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "jesting"