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I was just kidding
/aɪ wɒz dʒʌst ˈkɪdɪŋ/
joking
I was just kidding when I said I'd eat that whole pizza by myself!
The speaker did not actually intend to eat the entire pizza alone.
informal
A phrase used to indicate that one was not serious about a previous statement.
Don't worry, I was just kidding about the haunted house story.
The speaker did not actually believe the story was true.
I was just kidding when I said you failed the test—you got an A!
The speaker was teasing and did not mean the statement literally.
Used to clarify that a statement was meant as a joke, not as a serious claim. Often follows a statement that could be misunderstood as serious.
Collocations
I was just kiddingused to retract a serious-sounding statementno, I was just kiddingemphasizes the speaker's intention to joke
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Tone clarification
Use this phrase to clarify that a statement was meant as humor, especially if the statement could be taken seriously. It helps avoid misunderstandings in casual conversations.
Gold Rule
Avoid overuse
Don't use this phrase after every statement—reserve it for moments when there's a risk of being misunderstood as serious.
Word Origin
The phrase combines the first-person singular past tense of 'be' ('was') with 'just' (meaning 'only') and 'kidding' (the present participle of 'kid,' meaning to tease or joke, from 'kid' as a child, originally slang for a young goat, later extended metaphorically to playful deception). The phrase emerged in the mid-20th century as informal speech.
Usage Notes
This phrase is common in casual conversation. It often follows a statement that might sound alarming or unbelievable to soften the impact. It can also be used playfully to retract a boast or exaggerated claim. In written communication, it may be accompanied by emojis (e.g., 😆, 😂) to clarify tone.
Word Breakdown
I
first-person singular pronoun
rootwas
past tense of 'be'
rootjust
only, simply
adverbkidding
present participle of 'kid,' meaning to joke or tease
rootEnglish Dictionary