banter

1 of 2

verb

ban·​ter ˈban-tər How to pronounce banter (audio)
bantered; bantering; banters

transitive verb

1
: to speak to or address in a witty and teasing manner
She laughed and bantered him a little, remembering too late that she should have been dignified and reserved.Kate Chopin
2
archaic : delude
3
chiefly Southern US and Midland US : challenge

intransitive verb

: to speak or act playfully or wittily
The two friends bantered with each other.
banterer noun
banteringly adverb

banter

2 of 2

noun

: good-natured and usually witty and animated joking
listening to their lively banter

Did you know?

Can banter be vicious?

Banter refers to a form of jesting or to the act of exchanging joking repartee. Although the word once meant “ridicule,” and though it has a regional sense "a challenge or dare" (as in, "he performed a banter [or banner], jumping from the roof onto the snowbank"), in modern use it usually refers to a light-hearted form of wit. You would not be wrong to say that someone engages in “cruel banter,” if that is what is intended, but the word is far more often encountered in combination with modifiers such as witty, friendly, or lighthearted.

Examples of banter in a Sentence

Verb the teacher bantered pleasantly, albeit a bit awkwardly, with the students at the school dance Noun 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
In 2021, in his first Super Bowl ad, Jake bantered with Drake and Patrick Mahomes. Avery Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Feb. 2024 The two bantered a bit and exchanged social media information. Rory Appleton, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Feb. 2024 The metaphoric fourth wall is nowhere in sight, as the actor casually banters with audience members. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 This dichotomy will also feel familiar to fans of Night Country since Foster and Reis often banter about their different beliefs in God, religion and the paranormal. Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024 Earlier in the night, the song took the Best Pop Solo Performance category, which meant Cyrus scored her first-ever Grammy. Mark Ronson and his mother-in-law Meryl Streep presented the award, bantering back and forth about what the Record of the Year award really means. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2024 That coursework looks something like this: A 15-page intake form that helps Nobile assess clients’ level of self-love, four books to read including Signs by Laureline Jackson and The Four Agreements, and an eight-page document on everything from the art of bantering to core alignments. Hillary Hoffower, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2024 While Sherman and Stone easily bantered, the usually witty and loquacious Kahan stood stone-still, giving wooden readings of his couple of short lines. Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 25 Jan. 2024 They’re now united by having the same enemy, and spend the core of the film bantering on dry land, with Arthur trying to get a rise out of the uptight Orm. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Dec. 2023
Noun
Who better to trade banter about gaping vaginas, the unclassifiable dampness of one’s second-trimester nether regions, the lack-of-lactation blues, and uncontrollable bowel movements in the O.R.? David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2024 For 68 minutes in the House chamber, Biden goaded Republicans over their policies, invited call-and-response banter with fellow Democrats on economic issues, taxes and healthcare and seemed to revel in the fight. Zeke Miller, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 Adele's stage banter has become a fixture of her residency performances at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024 The incisive playwright cloaks these existential musings amid laugh-a-minute sitcom style banter that had the audience roaring on opening night but there’s meaning amid the mirth. Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2024 To then be able to walk from his dorm to the diner behind the Westwood Drug Store, enter the back door that saved the freshman with a stutter from unnecessary banter with customers, and often find Jerry West made Hollis Johnson’s a safe zone for Walton as well. Scott Howard-Cooper., Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Bradshaw often narrates highlights from other games during halftime and after games, and banters with Menefee and the other hosts throughout the lead-in to the game itself. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 Players on each team had fun banter with the opposing crowd at points during the game. Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 Garrett Mitchell and Haley Cruse Mitchell Quality couple banter? Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'banter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

of obscure origin

Noun

noun derivative of banter entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1653, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of banter was in 1653

Dictionary Entries Near banter

Cite this Entry

“Banter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banter. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

banter

1 of 2 verb
ban·​ter ˈbant-ər How to pronounce banter (audio)
: to speak in a friendly but teasing or witty way
banterer noun
banteringly adverb

banter

2 of 2 noun
: good-natured teasing or joking

More from Merriam-Webster on banter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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