half joking
Not entirely sincere
Half joking describes saying something with humor while also meaning part of it seriously.
The joke provides cover for a genuine sentiment: I'm half joking when I say I'd quit tomorrow if I won the lottery.
Often the serious half is the truer one, and the humor softens delivery or tests a reaction.
- witClever, inventive humor
- facetiousHumorously inappropriate or glib
- jestHumorous remark or act
- wink winkMarker of ironic intent
- ribbingAffectionate verbal teasing
banter · ambivalence · kidding · irony · grain of truth · coyness · nervous laugh · hesitation · sincerity · tension · misunderstanding · jocular · deflection · plausible deniability · duality · uncertainty · testing the waters · sardonic
sincerity of expression
half jokingdead serious
Absolutely not joking
in all seriousness · in earnest · stone-faced · no-nonsense · soberly
half, halve, halves, halved, halving, halfway, halfhearted, joke, jokes