banter

American  

[ban-ter] / ˈbæn tər /

noun

1. 

   an exchange of light, playful, teasing remarks; good-natured raillery.

   Synonyms:

   persiflage, pleasantry, badinage

---

verb (used with object)

• banters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bantered,
  past participle,  past
• bantering
  present participle

1. to address with banter; chaff.

   Synonyms:

   mock, deride, ridicule, twit, tease

verb (used without object)

• banters,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bantered,
  past participle,  past
• bantering
  present participle

1. to use banter.

banter British  

/ ˈbæntə /

verb

1. to speak to or tease lightly or jokingly

---

noun

1. light, teasing, or joking language or repartee

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• banterer
  noun
• outbanter
  verb (used with object)
• unbantering
  adjective
• banteringly
  adverb
• unbanteringly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• bantering
  present
• bantered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• banter
  simple
• banters
  simple
• have bantered
  perfect
• has bantered
  perfect
• am bantering
  progressive
• are bantering
  progressive
• is bantering
  progressive
• have been bantering
  perfect progressive
• has been bantering
  perfect progressive

Past

• bantered
  simple
• had bantered
  perfect
• was bantering
  progressive
• were bantering
  progressive
• had been bantering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will banter
  simple
• will have bantered
  perfect
• will be bantering
  progressive
• will have been bantering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of banter

First recorded in 1660–70; origin uncertain

Explanation

Good friends usually banter back and forth easily, like they're trying to keep a step ahead of each other in witty responses. This type of banter is their special language of friendship. Banter is both a noun and a verb about talking. It comes from unknown origins, but even as a word, it seems to be playful and teasing. You can engage in banter with friends, siblings, parents, and even good-natured strangers. Banter usually ends with everyone feeling better for the talk and verbal play. Joking, joshing, and teasing are all related to banter.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

banter banters bantered bantering

He grew up on a dairy farm and remembers his father talking about people at harvest time, helping each other out then sharing "a bit of craic and banter".

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Hosted by Law & Order SVU star Mariska Hargitay - the first woman to host in 15 years - the ceremony was packed with cameos from celebrities, emotional speeches, touching tributes and plenty of banter.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Part of that is pointing out when locker room banter crosses the line.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

But beneath the banter lies a more complicated and character-defining social dynamic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

Though she was the only woman in the grill, she did not seem to notice, nor did her entry diminish the feeling of fraternity that enriched the early morning banter.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Bergstrom, 41, spends most nights on a live-shopping app called Whatnot, where hosts like him auction collectibles in real time to an audience that simultaneously banters and bids on his goods.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026

But he makes frequent appearances on Israeli TV and radio, displaying a cheerful demeanor, quit wit and knack for deflecting criticism as he banters with his hosts.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 1, 2022

She also banters with her viewers, who occasionally tell her to get back to work.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 1, 2022

Its framing device is a tell-all concert, in which the “internationally ignored” performer banters with the audience about her fractured childhood and various lost loves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2020

Triumphant besom's wave in air, And friendly banters fly, man; Whilst, cold and hungry, to the inn, Wi' eager steps they hie, man.

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume II. The Songs of Scotland of the past half century by Charles Rogers

During the launch of a curriculum with Sesame Workshop, Chan bantered with Elmo in a promotional video.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

Law enforcement sources have told CBS News that Robinson and his friends bantered about the shooting prior to his arrest in a group chat on Discord involving more than 20 people.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2025

Harvick noted as much as he signed off from the Clash, where he and former teammate Bowyer bantered throughout Harvick’s second trial by fire.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 14, 2024

At their joint event on Thursday, Ms. Reynolds and Ms. DeSantis bantered onstage and even exchanged a high-five.

From New York Times ● Jul. 8, 2023

I snuck a look at Deoch as he bantered with someone at the door.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Nostalgic fans witnessed the brothers hugging and bantering on stage during their gigs, marking a new direction for the rock stars who had spent more than a decade publicly insulting one another.

From BBC ● May 8, 2026

He was in his 80s then, but still vibrant—rarely seated, moving easily around the room and bantering with staff as they passed in and out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026

Smith has been back walking red carpets, bantering on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” and eating spicy chicken until his eyes watered on “Hot Ones,” the popular YouTube show.

From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2024

I come back the next morning to find Pamela bantering with one of her regulars, Victor Cassar, who is also 84.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2023

She lay in bed as the hoots and laughter and bantering voices downstairs began to mushroom.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

Related Words

• chitchat
• gossip
• repartee
• ribbing
• small talk