raillery

Examples

• All

• But now, on Rachel's bed, unraveling a hole in the knee of her jeans while her parents yell at each other downstairs, he cannot join in her raillery.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Woe, then, to the reviewer whose interminable seriousness leads him to find in mere raillery sure evidence that the West is going to hell in a handbasket.

  Academic text (1997)

• Nor was this merely a piece of good-natured raillery.

  Academic text (1991)

• Do I see myself perhaps going forth in search of remedial raillery and the philosophical lesson carved in bone?

  Fiction book (2000)

• Howls of delight greeted this sally, and the raillery continued, following Jamie down the hall to the kitchen and back up the stairs.

  Fiction book (1991)

• I shook hands with Macready, who, in the exuberation of the moment, engaged me in some uncharacteristic raillery.

  Fiction book (1990)

• "Scarlett's dimpling, smiling, extravagant raillery was so automatic that she didn't even have to think about what she was saying.

  Fiction book (1991)

• "The great mythologies of the past (including the Church) are deprived of enough facade to even launch good raillery against," he argued in "General Aims and Theories."

  Academic text (1997)

• He greeted her, and she responded in the odd, almost uniform imported raillery that most St. Aidan's residents used with each other: it was a slightly unnatural formality, which seemed to say,

  Fiction book (1990)

• The number of times they danced together at each ball... the time Courtney took Scarlett's punch cup from her hand and put his lips where hers had been on the edge... overheard snippets of their innuendo-laden raillery...

  Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

F

fun

vsraillery

• Informal

457 3.9

Teasing in a playful way that is not serious

is the same playful ridicule but in a lighter, conversational form

B

banter

vsraillery

• Informal

42 4.1

Friendly, playful talk that teases people lightly

is more specifically a gentle, mildly mocking style of teasing

T

tease

vsraillery

17 4.0

An act of making fun of someone in a playful way

is less about repeated provocation and more about light ridicule

R

ribbing

vsraillery

• Informal

5 4.4

A friendly joke that tries to make someone laugh without hurting them

is equally playful but emphasizes a mildly ridiculing tone

B

badinage

vsraillery

• Literature

1 9.9

Light playful talk that people use to make each other laugh

is more focused on gentle mockery than general witty talk

P

persiflage

vsraillery

1 9.9

Light playful teasing talk that is not serious

is similar but usually feels more affectionate than slightly mocking

S

slagging

vsraillery

• Offensive

1 8.2

Teasing or insulting someone, often in a friendly way

is gentler and focused on good-humored teasing rather than insult

L

light-hearted banter

vsraillery

• Informal

4.2

Playful friendly talk that makes people laugh without hurting anyone

is similar but leans more toward mild mockery rather than cheerfulness

S

snip-snap banter

vsraillery

• UK

9.0

A quick, funny talk where people tease each other playfully

is comparable but is not limited to short rapid exchanges

W

waggery

vsraillery

• Archaic

9.9

Playful acts that tease people in a friendly way

is narrower, concentrating on teasing speech rather than general mischief

How Teasing

taunting

• Offensive

5.8

mockery

66 4.9

teasing

• Offensive

18 2.3

raillery

1 8.8

to banter

• Informal

9 4.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology