as in joke
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks
their tongue-in-cheek persiflage is sometimes mistaken for an exchange of insults by people who don't know them
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of persiflage
None of this will keep Republicans and conservatives from attacking the reconciliation bill with smoke, mirrors and persiflage.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2022
As Nixon’s political strategist, Kevin Phillips, told the New York Times in 1970:
All the talk about Republicans making inroads into the Negro vote is persiflage.
—Jane Coaston, Vox, 12 Oct. 2018
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2022
As Nixon’s political strategist, Kevin Phillips, told the New York Times in 1970:
All the talk about Republicans making inroads into the Negro vote is persiflage.
—Jane Coaston, Vox, 12 Oct. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persiflage
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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With time, their caustic raillery transforms into sincere attachment.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
13 May 2021
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French’s evocation of place, a rural way of life and overall creepiness are superb, as is the dialogue, a festival of Irish raillery and repartee.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
14 Oct. 2020
Noun
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Each bus has a pair of hosts, whose badinage is corny but crowd-pleasing.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
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In The Kitchen, Wesker tracked the decorum from friendly badinage to hostile vernacular that co-workers sustain just to get through the day.—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Everyone was wonderful and the banter was terrific.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
31 May 2025
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Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, Gilmore Girls The coolest mother and daughter in Stars Hollow have become a streaming mainstay thanks to their quick-witted banter — and early-aughts New England style.—
Lindy Segal,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
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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
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More laughs ensued when Barton asked if Ulvaeus has ever asked AI programs to write ABBA lyrics.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Most voters are worried about high prices for food, energy and housing, rather than their leader’s Oval Office repartee.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
30 Mar. 2025
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For all his entertaining repartee, Hedges is keenly aware of when to lock in.—
Ken Rosenthal,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Sarkar writes with sharp humor and clarity, making complex ideas about power, identity and media feel accessible without dumbing them down.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
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The couple's relationship was a major point of humor and contention for Ross, whom Carol divorced to be with Susan.—
Mekishana Pierre Published,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
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These preambles separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of Maron’s fans, though, which is the wheat and which is the chaff in skipping in the intros versus listening to them remains to be seen.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
2 June 2025
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In other words, nearly nine-tenths of all primetime impressions were chaff.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Persiflage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persiflage. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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