josh
verb (used with or without object)
to chaff; banter in a teasing way.
josh
1 American
[josh]
/ dʒɒʃ /
verb (used with or without object)
-
joshes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
joshed,
past participle, past
-
joshing
present participle
noun
Josh
2
American
[josh]
/ dʒɒʃ /
noun
Josh.
3
American
abbreviation
Bible.
josh
1
British
/ dʒɒʃ /
verb
noun
Josh.
2
British
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
joshsimple
-
joshessimple
-
have joshedperfect
-
has joshedperfect
-
am joshingprogressive
-
are joshingprogressive
-
is joshingprogressive
-
have been joshingperfect progressive
-
has been joshingperfect progressive
Past
-
joshedsimple
-
had joshedperfect
-
was joshingprogressive
-
were joshingprogressive
-
had been joshingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of josh
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; of obscure origin
Explanation
When you josh, you joke around, teasing and bantering. You probably josh your brother about the weird things he says when he talks in his sleep. Most people laugh when someone joshes with them, although others take offense or don't realize that you're only joking. Your favorite uncle might josh around with you, making you giggle, and you can josh right back at him, teasing him for his silly mustache. Josh comes from American slang, from the boy's name Joshua, although it's not clear why this name was used to mean "be silly."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"I'd have prawn puri for starters, lamb rogan josh, Bombay potatoes with some saag aloo, peshwari naan, all the poppadoms, pilau rice, saag paneer," Benn says.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2025
The other option is to join the crude, cynical supergroup modeled by the “Expendables” series, in which beloved stars josh and jostle for a cash grab.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
Holtz is a wiry man with a lined face, a Brooklyn accent—he grew up in Sheepshead Bay—and a digressive speaking style that his colleagues like to josh about.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 18, 2019
Focus on your life and your daughter and move on josh.
From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2019
And the same thought went through all their minds, josh Billings was a great man, a great writer.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley are seeking answers about Google’s push of AI tools in schools, citing concerns over student wellbeing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
The 2015 drama “Everest,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Brolin, revisited the deadly events of 1996.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
I float amid the hundred-ish attendees, moving from conversation to conversation with various election geeks and wanna-be Josh Lymans.
From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2026
Another round of job cuts comes as CEO Josh D’Amaro aims to consolidate the company’s sprawling operations around a “One Disney” theme.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
It had to do with the death of Josh Billings, the great humorist.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
“I love Josh. I love him - everything that he brings to the table,” Hyde said.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 17, 2023
“I think the world of Josh. Nobody has more respect for Josh McDaniels than I do. He’s a really smart guy, works hard, good football guy. A solid person. I’m sure he’ll do well.”
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 24, 2022
"We now have paid Josh. Which is good, because I know what his number is on the books for the upcoming years and we can just build around it," Beane said.
From Fox News ● Jan. 26, 2022
“We love Josh. He’s a star,” adding, “It’s all going to start with Josh Hawley.”
From New York Times ● Oct. 21, 2018
“It’s all right, Josh. It’s all over. You don’t know how funny the world can be, do you? Maybe even a little crazy. There are times when people just have to laugh.”
From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz
We love playing zoos,” joshes Hammond B-3 organ player John Medeski, whose trio, Medeski, Martin & Wood, swells to a quartet with guitarist John Scofield at the Woodland Park Zoo on Thursday, June 18.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 13, 2014
As he smiles for the television cameras and joshes with House Speaker John Boehner, I hope that Obama will quote an old enemy to his new friend.
From Nature ● Nov. 28, 2012
He joshes with Jon Stewart, poses for the covers of Wired and Fortune.
From Salon ● May 4, 2011
Mid-block, Officer Robert Grisby joshes with an emaciated woman.
From Washington Post
He joshes with me but I can't get him down to say that he will look.
From Tales of the Road by Charles N. (Charles Newman) Crewdson
“You must be a local!” he joshed with a man wearing shorts in the cold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
Biden gladhanded and joshed at a running shoe store, bicycle shop and coffee house in Emmaus, Pennsylvania.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2024
“Y’all will be on the couch with us by February 1,” one of the singers joshed.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 8, 2023
While his pals traded war stories and joshed each other about glory days gone by, he would feel uncomfortably out of place.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2019
They grinned back, and Smiley kind of joshed my shoulder as they moved toward the dining room, where Aunt Carrie and Miss Sarah, French Gordy’s wife, were slicing cakes and pies.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
The jury takes part in the spectacle, happily joshing with the defense lawyers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
Grounded by Harden’s natural and loosely charming performance, Khalid treats his nightmare scenario with an alternating sense of anxiety and buoyant, joshing can-do attitude.
From New York Times ● Nov. 21, 2024
As for the internet, I saw exactly one right-leaning economist gently joshing Stephens for his remarks.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 29, 2023
Part of the appeal of the show is the humor, both Rowe’s self-depreciating style and that which naturally emerges from the workers, whether they’re gently mocking Rowe or good-naturedly joshing with each other.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 12, 2022
The men that have been hanging about and joshing each other form themselves in a circle.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
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