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Banter vs Joke - What's the difference?

banter | joke |

In intransitive terms the difference between banter and joke

is that banter is to play or do something amusing while joke is to do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.

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

    *

    joke

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An amusing story.
  • * Gay
  • Or witty joke our airy senses moves / To pleasant laughter.
  • Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.
  • It was a joke !
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Enclose whole downs in walls, 'tis all a joke .
  • (figuratively) The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one
  • (figuratively) A worthless thing or person.
  • Your effort at cleaning your room is a joke .
    The president was a joke .

    Usage notes

    * Adjectives often applied to "joke": old, bad, inside, poor, silly, funny, lame, hilarious, stupid, offensive.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * bad joke * standing joke * knock-knock joke * light bulb joke * practical joke

    Coordinate terms

    * comedy * limerick * parody * pun

    Verb

    (jok)
  • To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.
  • I didn’t mean what I said — I was only joking .
  • (dated) To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.
  • to joke a comrade

    See also

    * jeer * mock ----