kidding
v.v. to say something that is not true as a joke. You use this when you are teasing someone or being playful.
v. to engage in playful or lighthearted deception; to tease or joke with someone. Often used in the present continuous to clarify that a previous statement was not serious.
I am only kidding about the surprise party.
He told his sister he had lost her car keys, but he was only kidding to see her reaction.
Although the manager appeared stern when he threatened to cancel the holiday, the staff soon realized he was merely kidding to lighten the mood.
The verb is usually used in the continuous form ('kidding') and is often followed by 'about' or used transitively with a person as the object.
I am kidding you about the truthI am just kiddingWhile 'kidding someone' is grammatically correct, the verb is more naturally used intransitively or with 'about' when explaining a joke.