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GRE vocabulary

jest

nounHigh-frequency wordMore J words

a thing said or done for amusement; a joke

Word origin: From Old French geste, exploit or tale, from Latin gesta, deeds.

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In a sentence

Jest in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing jest in a sentence.

He said it in jest, but his words still stung.

What he offered as a harmless jest was received by the committee as a calculated insult.

Synonyms
jokequipwitticismbanter
Antonyms
seriousnesssolemnity

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Verbal · Text Completion

Critics initially dismissed the composer's late works as merely blank, but later scholars recognized in them a deliberate restraint that concealed considerable technical sophistication.

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Usage & nuance

Using “jest” well

Jest names something said or done for amusement, a joke, and it contrasts with seriousness and solemnity.

Common questions

Questions about “jest”

Jest (noun) means a thing said or done for amusement; a joke
Here is jest used in an example sentence: "He said it in jest, but his words still stung." Another example: "What he offered as a harmless jest was received by the committee as a calculated insult."
Common synonyms for jest include joke, quip, witticism, banter.
Antonyms of jest include seriousness, solemnity.
Jest clusters with joke, quip, witticism, and banter. Its antonyms seriousness and solemnity mark the contrast.
Yes. Jest is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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