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:
"They just have a really happy relationship and they can josh each other along when needed and yet have real support for each other which is wonderful."
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2022
The actors josh with each other and the audience in the madcap communal spirit of commedia dell’arte troupers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2021
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
However, I can say Josh Dylan and Antonia Thomas do justice to their modernized versions of Christie’s power couple Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026
The small teams that used to be Axon’s norm—an average of roughly four employees to every manager—were “borderline offensive” because they could potentially slow down progress, Axon President Josh Isner said at the time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
After making the claim, comedian and podcast co-host Josh James jokingly said to Dean: "Easy money."
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
When financial planner Josh Radman, 35, first starts working with clients, mostly high-income people in their 30s and 40s, he asks them about their financial goals.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Josh came tearing around the house, scolding, ruffling his feathers, and I didn’t blame him.
From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz
“Spencer’s getting molly-whopped because all of us are trying to get to Josh. It’s like, ‘Sorry, pal, you’ve got to take one for the team,’” Morse added, with a laugh.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 19, 2023
“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 Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 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’ve got some things to build on, as has Teddy, as has Josh. And we’ll go from there.”
From Washington Post ● Aug. 15, 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
"Oh, we rides an' rides an' looks after the cattle; we cooks, an' plays cards, an' joshes the boys."
From The Angel of the Gila: A Tale of Arizona by Cora Marsland
Charles joshed at a banquet dinner in the White House.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
