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
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.
Verb
The series is Henry and Moura, bantering and bickering and watching things spiral out of control. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025 Sandler screamed, and the pair bantered back and forth. David Oliver, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
Postgame press conferences this season for TCU women’s basketball have often been joyous occasions with jokes from head coach Mark Campbell and witty banter between his star players. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2025 The easy banter between the costars translates to the screen. Eric Andersson, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for banter

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Banter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banter. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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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