Jokingly

'dʒoʊkɪŋli

adverbBeginnerCommonLiterature

Definitions

1

In a joking or playful way; not meant to be taken seriously.

'dʒoʊkɪŋli

adverbneutralBeginner
Literature

In a playful or teasing manner; not seriously.

She jokingly offered me a million dollars for my old car.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're telling a silly story to a friend, and you add a little giggle at the end. You said something jokingly! It means you weren't being completely serious, just having a little fun.

👶 For kids: Saying something like a joke! You don't really mean it, you're just playing around.

More Examples

2

He said he hated the movie, but I knew he was only joking.

3

The teacher jokingly threatened to give us extra homework if we didn't behave.

How It's Used

Social

"He said it jokingly to lighten the mood."

Conversation

"She asked me out, jokingly, of course."

From "joke" + "-ing" + "-ly". "Joke" comes from the Latin "jocus", meaning "jest" or "playful remark". The suffix "-ly" forms adverbs.

The word "jokingly" has been used since the 17th century, evolving with the English language to describe the manner of jesting.

Memory tip

Think of someone making a funny face while saying something. They are speaking jokingly.

joklinglyjokinglyy

Usage

70%Spoken
30%Written