Meaning & use
bantering
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“bantering” is a form of “banter”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Joking and teasing in a friendly, light way.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: a bantering tone.
Patterns
- a bantering tone
- bantering with someone
The two old friends spoke in a bantering tone that made everyone smile.
She greeted him with a bantering remark about his new hat.
Their bantering manner hid how seriously they took the project.
verbintransitive
The -ing form of banter: trading playful, teasing remarks with someone.
Grammar: Often used with with: bantering with colleagues.
Patterns
- be bantering with someone
- banter about something
The two coaches were bantering about last night's game.
They stood bantering with the waiter while the food cooked.
He enjoys bantering with customers at the market stall.
Word forms
| base form | banter |
|---|---|
| third person singular | banters |
| past tense | bantered |
| past participle | bantered |
| -ing form | bantering |
Common combinations
- bantering tone
- His bantering tone put the nervous guests at ease.
- bantering remark
- A bantering remark from the host broke the silence.
- bantering with friends
- She spent the evening bantering with friends over dinner.
- bantering manner
- The presenter's bantering manner made the show feel relaxed.
- good-natured bantering
- There was plenty of good-natured bantering in the dressing room.
Synonyms and how they differ
- teasing
- Teasing can be kind or unkind, whereas bantering nearly always suggests a friendly, two-way exchange.
- joking
- Joking covers any attempt at humor, while bantering means quick, playful back-and-forth between people.
- jesting
- Jesting sounds old-fashioned or literary, where bantering is current and conversational.
- playful
- Playful is a broad word for light-hearted behavior, not specifically about witty verbal exchange.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: bantering or bantam?
bantering vs bantam
A bantam is a small chicken, unrelated to banter despite the similar start.
Practice
Which sentence uses bantering correctly?
Choose one answer.
Bantering means exchanging friendly teasing, which suits friends joking about cooking. A firing warning, a sentence and a sad funeral speech are all serious, so the word does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bantering”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.