persiflage

noun

ˈpər-si-ˌfläzh How to pronounce persiflage (audio)
Definition of persiflagenext
as in joke
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks their tongue-in-cheek persiflage is sometimes mistaken for an exchange of insults by people who don't know them

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of persiflage None of this will keep Republicans and conservatives from attacking the reconciliation bill with smoke, mirrors and persiflage. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for persiflage
  1. joke
  2. raillery
  3. badinage
  4. banter
  5. laugh
  6. jesting
  7. repartee
  8. humor
Noun
  • And honestly, that’s kind of the best joke there is — some classic America’s Funniest Home Videos type stuff.
    — Maria Bamford, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Sumaila has a running joke about it, borrowed from an old British comedy about a heist gone wrong.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • With time, their caustic raillery transforms into sincere attachment.
    — Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 13 May 2021
  • French’s evocation of place, a rural way of life and overall creepiness are superb, as is the dialogue, a festival of Irish raillery and repartee.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2020
Definition of raillery
Noun
  • Left on their own, boisterous badinage between old school British thespian Shaw and giggly, hyper-ventilating wannabe movie star Dreyfuss has taken hold.
    — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The action flows, the badinage is fast and fun.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Definition of badinage
Noun
  • What recordings can’t prepare you for is her gift for stage banter.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026
  • My banter with Cormac focuses on the institute, what compels him to be here.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of banter
Noun
  • O’Connell appeared to joke about the marathon applause with Boyle, prompting laughs from his co-stars Claire Foy and Pearce.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Its format — multi-cam, laugh-tracked, with the occasional fourth-wall-breaking aside — is one that would have been in vogue when Martin originally aired.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Hudson showed some subtle support for the jesting knocks to her boyfriend by reposting a clip of his final joke shared on Fox News' official X page.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
  • No matter what happened, Dunham could not seem to help posting through it, her public persona one of infinite jesting confession.
    — Madeline Leung Coleman, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of jesting
Noun
  • Through rapid-fire verbal repartee, constant close-ups, and frantic cuts, Deramas treads a careful line between tragedy and comedy, the latter a psychological weapon against the former.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Faith King and Josiah Fagerstrom both deliver delightfully prickly repartee as their characters gradually manage to surpass archetype.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of repartee
Noun
  • Of the recent tide of Gen-Z offerings, this is the best of the bunch, with its mix of absurdist humor and heartfelt sentiment.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • By using humor to upend expectations about how women should behave.
    — Stephanie Vander Wel, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of humor

Browse Nearby Words

Persian lambs
persiflage
persist
See all Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Persiflage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/persiflage. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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