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

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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

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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
It's done in jest, making fun of the films that came before it that have exhibited genuine concern for a woman's future past her third decade on this planet. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025 More News: William Byron Just Pulled Off a Daytona 500 Feat Only Four Others Have Speaking about the incident in an interview, Byron seemed amused by the clever digital jest. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 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
  1. fun
  2. joke
  3. prank
  4. play
  5. laugh
  6. game
  7. trick
  8. sport
Noun
  • Wild Turkey Rare Breed The cask strength classic that pulls no punches This one’s not for the faint of heart, but that’s the fun of it.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Watch Brazilian nun show off beatboxing skills 'Beautiful to see' Soon after the beats and the dancing started flowing, one of the hosts joined in on the fun.
    — Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 29 May 2025
Definition of fun
Noun
  • The site’s users took great joy in watching the feud in real time, responding to the showdown between the president and the world’s wealthiest man with jokes and memes.
    — Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Surrounded by her animals at home, Lin watched re-runs of The Big Bang Theory, practicing the cadence of the words, the rising sound of a joke, the pacing of each phrase.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
Definition of joke
Noun
  • The couple, who have four kids, loves sharing their love on TikTok, so after the prank, Abbie decided to compile some of the photos together and post them.
    — Jordan Greene, People.com, 26 May 2025
  • Jax dialed the number to prank call Sanders during the draft.
    — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2025
Definition of prank
Noun
  • More specifically, the play follows two twins, Viola and Sebastian, who are separated from each other in a shipwreck.
    — James Factora, Them., 28 May 2025
  • Just because the owner voted to outlaw the play doesn’t mean Johnson won’t consider it.
    — Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Definition of play
Noun
  • There are a lot of fun moments during the annual Big Slick weekend in Kansas City, and the laughs are shared by the celebrities who take part as well as the audience at the softball game and the gala.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 June 2025
  • If a client senses that every friendly laugh and personal anecdote was just bait on the hook, the entire relationship collapses into a transaction.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • With each game, she’s added more Knicksy sartorial touches.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 1 June 2025
  • Photo : Legendary Productions/Luxury Resort Portfolio The game room includes arcade-style driving games.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 1 June 2025
Definition of game
Noun
  • The secret trick of reconciliation is that Congress gets a chance to add tweaks to the budget — to reconcile it — twice every federal fiscal year.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 30 May 2025
  • The trick was to keep them distant and yet connected, and find ways to not make the audience wait to see their chemistry, because the John Corbett and Sarah Jessica Parker chemistry is undeniable and a gift.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 29 May 2025
Definition of trick
Noun
  • Add-ons include coverage for rental vehicles, pets, adventure sports and wedding cancellations Cancel For Any Reason coverage Add-on to Preferred and Deluxe plans reimbursing 50% of trip costs if purchased within 15 days of initial deposit.
    — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 1 June 2025
  • Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
    — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2025
Definition of sport

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 10 Jun. 2025.

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