in jest
idiom
formal + old-fashioned
: as a joke
I didn't mean to upset you; I only said it in jest.
Examples of in jest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The lawmakers insisted the statements were made in jest.
—
David Ingram, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Last week, someone taped a picture of a hammer onto McManus’ chamber door in jest as a final reminder to the judge, who is laying down his gavel after 27 years on the bench.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024
The same fun must have been had when the father and son filmed a Nike ad where dad introduced son to some rookie hazing in jest.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024
The duo quibbled in jest over an incident from earlier practice when Bronny James claimed his stout defense caused his dad to step out of bounds.
—David Close, CNN, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for in jest 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
David Ingram, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Last week, someone taped a picture of a hammer onto McManus’ chamber door in jest as a final reminder to the judge, who is laying down his gavel after 27 years on the bench.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024
The same fun must have been had when the father and son filmed a Nike ad where dad introduced son to some rookie hazing in jest.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN, 22 Oct. 2024
The duo quibbled in jest over an incident from earlier practice when Bronny James claimed his stout defense caused his dad to step out of bounds.
—David Close, CNN, 30 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for in jest
Articles Related to in jest
Dictionary Entries Near in jest
Cite this Entry
“In jest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20jest. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share