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bants

(UK, slang) Banter, particularly among men.

ˈbæntsCurrent167 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
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#1·Apr 26, 2026

(UK, slang) Banter, particularly among men.

See it in action
  • “guaranteed beats, bangers & bants from our outrageous OnlyOldSkool crew!!! so tune in & whack that volume UP!! you won't be disappointed !! 😎 #onlyoldskool #oldskool #onlyoldskoolradio #oldskoolmusic #oldschool #house #techno #rave #hardcore #beats #jungle”

  • “There is a known 2-3% "pure chaos" factor, like people voting for the Brexit Party and being pro-Remain. No-one is sure if it's lying/bants or if there is a notional % of society that are just mental, but psephologists are aware of it and just try to make allowance for it.”

Top bants, says Twitter's master 'Target Smasher'
Origin: From ; first used in the early 21st century. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"bants" means: Banter, particularly among men.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"bants" means: Banter, particularly among men.. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (UK) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

Heard in the wild
  • “guaranteed beats, bangers & bants from our outrageous OnlyOldSkool crew!!! so tune in & whack that volume UP!! you won't be disappointed !! 😎 #onlyoldskool #oldskool #onlyoldskoolradio #oldskoolmusic #oldschool #house #techno #rave #hardcore #beats #jungle”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “There is a known 2-3% "pure chaos" factor, like people voting for the Brexit Party and being pro-Remain. No-one is sure if it's lying/bants or if there is a notional % of society that are just mental, but psephologists are aware of it and just try to make allowance for it.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers

"bants" means: Banter, particularly among men.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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🗺️About Regional & Other slang

Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

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