I. verb
1.
to make fun of good-naturedly
the students resented their teacher's bantering them about mistakes
Synonyms: chaff, fool, fun, jest, ||jive, joke, jolly, josh, kid, rag, razz, rib
Related Word: deride, guy, mock, quiz, rally, ridicule, satirize, taunt, tease, twit
Idioms: make fun of, make merry with, poke fun at
|| 2.
Synonyms: face 3, beard, brave, challenge, dare, defy, ||double-dog dare, front, outface, venture
|| 3.
Synonyms: coax , blandish, blarney, cajole, con, soft-soap, sweet-talk, wheedle
II. noun
animated back-and-forth exchange of remarks
entertained the group with their jolly banter
Synonyms: backchat, badinage, ||cross talk, persiflage, repartee, snip-snap
Related Word: chitchat, gossip, gossipry, small talk; rallying, teasing; exchange, give-and-take
Contrasted words: debate, deliberation, discussion