jape, joke, jocularity, laugh, wheeze, gag, yak, funny, drollery, drolling, more...

earnestness

pun, play on words, parody, satire, sarcasm, irony, joke, more...

good, merry, infinite, little, mere, bitter, cruel, grim, coarse, excellent, sorry

say seriously,   to joke,   say lightly,   wasn't serious,   to say jokingly,   crack a joke,   joke (around),   banter; to rally,   to make a joke,   can't be serious