Synonyms of repartee

repartee

noun

ˌre-pər-ˈtē 

1

as in retort

a quick witty response

that repartee to the reporter's question drew laughs from the bystanders

Synonyms & Similar Words

• retort
• riposte
• insult
• comeback
• quip
• witticism
• wisecrack
• squelch
• zinger
• back talk
• sally
• put-down
• crack
• cut

2

as in banter

good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks

I wish we weren't many miles apart, as repartee is harder to do with text messaging

Synonyms & Similar Words

• banter
• badinage
• laugh
• joke
• raillery
• jesting
• humor
• persiflage
• chaff
• give-and-take
• humorousness
• chatter
• ribbing
• joshing
• wit
• quip
• witticism
• wisecrack
• pleasantry
• barb
• gambit
• gag
• funniness
• backchat
• richness
• wordplay
• facetiousness
• sally
• gossip
• kidding
• mocking
• jest
• nothings
• waggery
• dig
• drollness
• razzing
• chitchat
• ridiculing
• fooling
• crack
• hilariousness
• small talk

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun repartee differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of repartee are humor, irony, sarcasm, satire, and wit. While all these words mean "a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement," repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily.

a dinner guest noted for repartee

When could humor be used to replace repartee?

The synonyms humor and repartee are sometimes interchangeable, but humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness.

a sense of humor

Where would irony be a reasonable alternative to repartee?

While the synonyms irony and repartee are close in meaning, irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed.

the irony of the title

When would sarcasm be a good substitute for repartee?

In some situations, the words sarcasm and repartee are roughly equivalent. However, sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

given to heartless sarcasm

When might satire be a better fit than repartee?

The meanings of satire and repartee largely overlap; however, satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.

a satire on the Congress

When is wit a more appropriate choice than repartee?

While in some cases nearly identical to repartee, wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

a playful wit

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of repartee

For all his entertaining repartee, Hedges is keenly aware of when to lock in. —Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025

Ally and Jay are both sarcastic, too — their best lines are muttered under their breaths — and their repartee becomes more interesting than the bloody theatrics. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025

Awash in candlelight chiaroscuro and punctuated with witty repartee, the film initially seems like a quirky comedy about a father and daughter struggling with their rhubarb farm. —Ben Croll, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025

Charton is disarming and funny, and the two are clearly enamored with each other, falling into natural repartee about their kids and each other. —Rachel Handler, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025

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