Banter vs Brawl - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between banter and brawl

is that banter is good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation while brawl is a fight, usually with a large number of people involved.

As verbs the difference between banter and brawl

is that banter is to engage in banter or playful conversation while brawl is to engage in a brawl; to fight or quarrel.

banter

English

Noun

(-)

Good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.

It seemed like I'd have to listen to her playful banter for hours.

Verb

(en verb)

To engage in banter or playful conversation.

To play or do something amusing.

To tease (someone) mildly.

* Washington Irving

Hag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then bantered on my haggard looks the next day.

* Charlotte Brontë

Mr. Sweeting was bantered about his stature—he was a little man, a mere boy in height and breadth compared with the athletic Malone

To joke about; to ridicule (a trait, habit, etc.).

* Chatham

If they banter' your regularity, order, and love of study, ' banter in return their neglect of them.

To delude or trick; to play a prank upon.

* Daniel De Foe

We diverted ourselves with bantering several poor scholars with hopes of being at least his lordship's chaplain.

(transitive, US, Southern and Western, colloquial) To challenge to a match.

Synonyms

* (tease) kid, wind up

Derived terms

* (l)

References

Anagrams

brawl

English

(wikipedia brawl)

Noun

(en noun)

A fight, usually with a large number of people involved.

Verb

(en verb)

To engage in a brawl; to fight or quarrel.

To complain loudly; to scold.

To make a loud confused noise, as the water of a rapid stream running over stones.

* Wordsworth

where the brook brawls along the painful road