joking

UK: /ˈdʒəʊkɪŋ/

From the verb joke: (⇒ conjugate)

joking is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

joke /dʒoʊk/   n., v., joked, jok•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a short, humorous story with a word or phrase that ends it and causes laughter.
2. something amusing or ridiculous:
   thought the whole episode was a joke.
3. something not taken seriously:
   That law is just a joke: no one obeys it.
4. no joke, a matter of great seriousness:
   That loss we took was no joke.
   [it + be + ~]
   It's no joke exercising every day on that sore leg.

v. [no object]

5. to speak or act in a playful or merry way:
   He was joking around instead of working.
6. to say something in fun or teasing:
   I was only joking.

jok•ey, jok•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 
jok•ing•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

joke  ( jōk), n., v., joked, jok•ing. 
n. 

1. something said or done to provoke laughter or cause amusement, as a witticism, a short and amusing anecdote, or a prankish act:
   He tells very funny jokes. She played a joke on him.
2. something that is amusing or ridiculous, esp. because of being ludicrously inadequate or a sham;
   a thing, situation, or person laughed at rather than taken seriously;
   farce:
   Their pretense of generosity is a joke. An officer with no ability to command is a joke.
3. a matter that need not be taken very seriously;
   trifling matter:
   The loss was no joke.
4. something that does not present the expected challenge;
   something very easy:
   The test was a joke for the whole class.
5. See practical joke. 

v.i. 

6. to speak or act in a playful or merry way:
   He was always joking with us.
7. to say something in fun or teasing rather than in earnest;
   be facetious:
   He didn't really mean it, he was only joking.

v.t. 

8. to subject to jokes;
   make fun of;
   tease.
9. to obtain by joking:
   The comedian joked coins from the audience.

• Latin jocus jest
• 1660–70

joke′less, adj. 
jok′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. wisecrack, gag, jape, prank, quip, quirk, sally, raillery.
  Joke, jest refer to something said (or done) in sport, or to cause amusement. A joke is something said or done for the sake of exciting laughter; it may be raillery, a witty remark, or a prank or trick:
  to tell a joke.
  Jest, today a more formal word, nearly always refers to joking language and is more suggestive of scoffing or ridicule than is joke:
  to speak in jest.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

joke / dʒəʊk/ noun

1. a humorous anecdote
2. something that is said or done for fun; prank
3. a ridiculous or humorous circumstance
4. a person or thing inspiring ridicule or amusement; butt
5. joking apart ⇒ seriously: said to recall a discussion to seriousness after there has been joking
6. no joke ⇒ something very serious

verb

1. (intransitive) to tell jokes
2. (intransitive) to speak or act facetiously or in fun
3. to make fun of (someone); tease; kid

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin jocus a jest

ˈjokingly adverb