raillery
Good-natured verbal jabs
Raillery is good-humored teasing or banter—mockery without malice.
The tone is playful rather than cutting: Their raillery at dinner kept everyone laughing.
The word has a slightly literary or old-fashioned flavor, suggesting wit and verbal sparring among friends rather than genuine criticism.
Quick, clever conversation
- badinagePlayful, teasing conversation
- persiflageFlippant, teasing discourse
- joshingPlayful mocking
- chaffProtective seed coverings
ribbing · teasing · quip · jesting · pleasantry · sally · kidding · funning
Clever, amusing remark
- quipsBrief witty remarks
- reparteeQuick, clever conversation
- bon motsClever, memorable remarks
- clevernessMental quickness and skill
epigrams · riposte · sharpness · drollery · irony · facetiousness · slyness · aphorisms
Contemptuous mocking treatment
- derisionContemptuous mockery
- sarcasmIrony used to mock
- tauntInsulting provocation
- jeerVocal expression of scorn
lampoon · gibe · jibe · scoff · tease · caricature · send-up · satirizing
Lack of seriousness
- jocularityHumorous, playful manner
- merrimentLighthearted fun together
- playfulnessLighthearted, frisky spirit
- gaietyLively, exuberant cheerfulness
lightheartedness · mirth · joviality · whimsy · frolic · impishness · mischief · sportiveness
repartee
Quick, clever conversation
- badinagePlayful, teasing conversation
- persiflageFlippant, teasing discourse
- joshingPlayful mocking
chaff · ribbing · teasing · quip · jesting · pleasantry · sally · kidding · funning · wordplay
witticism
Clever, amusing remark
cleverness · epigrams · riposte · sharpness · drollery · irony · facetiousness · slyness · aphorisms · puns
ridicule
Contemptuous mocking treatment
jeer · lampoon · gibe · jibe · scoff · tease · caricature · send-up · satirizing · twitting
levity
Lack of seriousness
- jocularityHumorous, playful manner
- merrimentLighthearted fun together
- playfulnessLighthearted, frisky spirit
gaiety · lightheartedness · mirth · joviality · whimsy · frolic · impishness · mischief · sportiveness · roguishness
- mockerymockery, ridiculing, jeers, jeering, jibes
- teasingtease, teasing, rib, ribbing, josh
- witticismsquips, witticisms, witticism, bon mots, bon mot
- tomfoolerysilliness, foolery, clownery, clownishness, goofing off
- witwit, witticism, quip, cleverness, repartee
- table-talkchat, banter, gossip, small talk, chitchat
raillerypraise
Expression of approval
flattery · compliment · adulation · commendation · eulogy
railleryearnestness
Genuine seriousness of intent
solemnity · sincerity · seriousness · gravity · soberness