kidding
Pulling your leg
Kidding is joking or teasing—saying something not meant to be taken seriously.
I'm just kidding reassures someone that a remark was playful.
Are you kidding me? expresses disbelief.
No kidding can confirm something surprising is true, or sarcastically note the obvious.
Kidding also means giving birth to young goats, though this use is rare outside farming contexts.
Humorous remark or act
- jokeHumorous statement seeking laughter
- prankPlayful trick on someone
- gagMouth restraint or jest
- wisecrackFlippant clever remark
quip · jape · spoof · skit · leg-pulling · put-on · hoax · trick
Affectionate verbal teasing
- joshingPlayful mocking
- raggingMocking someone persistently
- needlingPersistent mild taunting
- chaffingMocking in jest
razzing · taunting · mocking · goading · badinage · raillery · twitting · roasting
With sincere intent
for real · impossible · unbelievable · incredulous · shocked · stunned · astonished · doubtful
Light, playful teasing
- fooling aroundIdle playful behavior
- horsing aroundEngaging in boisterous play
- clowningPlayful comic behavior
- hammingExaggerated theatrical performance
mugging · goofing off · larking · romping · skylarking · monkeying around · cutting up · acting up
jest
Humorous remark or act
wisecrack · quip · jape · spoof · skit · leg-pulling · put-on · hoax · trick · fooling
ribbing
Affectionate verbal teasing
chaffing · razzing · taunting · mocking · goading · badinage · raillery · twitting · roasting · gibing
seriously
With sincere intent
come on · for real · impossible · unbelievable · incredulous · shocked · stunned · astonished · doubtful · skeptical
bantering
Light, playful teasing
- fooling aroundIdle playful behavior
- horsing aroundEngaging in boisterous play
- clowningPlayful comic behavior
hamming · mugging · goofing off · larking · romping · skylarking · monkeying around · cutting up · acting up · shenanigans
- humorjoke, jokes, joking, comedy, comic
- fooling aroundjoking, jesting, fooling, teasing, joshing
- tomfoolerysilliness, foolery, clownery, clownishness, goofing off
- messing aroundfooling, goofing, goofing off, horsing around, messing with
- playfulnessplay, frolic, romp, fun, mirth
- Goatsgoat, doe, buck, wether, nanny goat
kiddingserious
Weighty and requiring attention
sincere · telling the truth · dead serious · being honest · leveling
- just kiddingRetraction of a jest
- you're kiddingExpression of surprised disbelief
- no kiddingExpression of genuine surprise
- are you kiddingExpression of disbelief
- kidding aroundPlayful, unserious behavior
- you're kidding me