Joking
adj.joyful, kindeveryday
What it means
Intended humorously rather than as a serious or literal statement.
Reach for it when clarifying that a remark, proposal, or manner is playful
Her joking offer to trade desks made the tense meeting feel human again.
Choose between these
6- playful
tongue-in-cheek
the audience is meant to recognize dry irony
not when Tongue-in-cheek depends on concealed irony, not open joking.
- everyday
bantering
friendly teasing moves back and forth
not when Bantering needs at least two participants and can become competitive.
- warm
affectionate lightness matters more than a specific joke
not when Playful can describe design or movement where no statement is nonliteral.
- professional
the material is designed to amuse in neutral language
not when Humorous may describe a polished work rather than an offhand joking manner.
- formal
facetious
levity deliberately replaces a serious answer
not when Facetious often criticizes poor timing or inadequate seriousness.
- literary
mischievous verbal humor suits an old-fashioned tone
not when Waggish will sound affected to many present-day readers.
Said against
3- serious
- earnest
- literal
It naturally appears in
3- joking manner
His joking manner kept the rehearsal relaxed but attentive.
- joking suggestion
A joking suggestion about bicycles led to a useful delivery plan.
- joking comment
Her joking comment made clear that no blame was intended.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, English adjective sense: humorous or not meant seriously opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.