badinage

noun

ˌba-də-ˈnäzh How to pronounce badinage (audio)
Definition of badinagenext
as in banter
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks the sophisticated badinage of the characters in plays by Oscar Wilde

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 badinage Left on their own, boisterous badinage between old school British thespian Shaw and giggly, hyper-ventilating wannabe movie star Dreyfuss has taken hold. — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026 The action flows, the badinage is fast and fun. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025 Each bus has a pair of hosts, whose badinage is corny but crowd-pleasing. — Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 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 While Hawley hasn’t left behind any of his signature philosophical dialogue or memorable badinage, Season 5 is also the most reliant on the camera to make its points. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2024 The question of who was manipulating whom had been a meta thing in our conversations from the beginning, with jokey badinage about the power of interviewers and the vulnerability of their subjects. — Laura Kipnis, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2023 But also present are Heyer’s wry humor and deftness in witty badinage. — Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badinage
  1. banter
  2. raillery
  3. joke
  4. repartee
  5. laugh
  6. jesting
  7. persiflage
  8. give-and-take
Noun
  • Kids zip by on bikes, their playful banter a reminder that life marches on.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Lightening the darkness of the story in the early scenes are the playfulness, banter and sexiness Lou and James.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of banter
Noun
  • With time, their caustic raillery transforms into sincere attachment.
    — Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 13 May 2021
  • 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
Definition of raillery
Noun
  • And honestly, that’s kind of the best joke there is — some classic America’s Funniest Home Videos type stuff.
    — Maria Bamford, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Sumaila has a running joke about it, borrowed from an old British comedy about a heist gone wrong.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • Through rapid-fire verbal repartee, constant close-ups, and frantic cuts, Deramas treads a careful line between tragedy and comedy, the latter a psychological weapon against the former.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Faith King and Josiah Fagerstrom both deliver delightfully prickly repartee as their characters gradually manage to surpass archetype.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of repartee
Noun
  • There was nothing particularly novel about the show’s premise, but the scripts were refreshingly dense with jokes, prioritizing laughs over contrived drama or seasonlong relationship arcs.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The trooper is conscious, in good spirits and able to have conversations, laugh and smile, according to Sgt.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
  • No matter what happened, Dunham could not seem to help posting through it, her public persona one of infinite jesting confession.
    — Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of jesting
Noun
  • 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
Definition of persiflage
Noun
  • And deals are still getting done, just with a little more give-and-take on both sides.
    — Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 24 July 2026
  • True belonging necessitates mutual commitment and give-and-take, which digital audiences seldom provide.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of give-and-take

Browse Nearby Words

badges
badinage
badland
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Cite this Entry

“Badinage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badinage. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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