rib 1 of 2

noun

Definition of ribnext
1
as in parody
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect the movie is a rib of the "dramatic love story" that was so popular in the 1950s

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter began to lose his sense of humor after being the butt of his friends' ribs once too often

Synonyms & Similar Words

rib

2 of 2

verb

as in to tease
to make fun of in a good-natured way ribbed him a bit about fumbling such an easy play

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rib
Noun
Add 1 small bunch collard greens, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and bright green, about 4 minutes. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 July 2026 Paramedics arrived to take him to a hospital, but due to the severity of his injuries, including fractured ribs and a neck injury, the man needed to be airlifted to a trauma center, police say. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
Verb
Thanks to its sleeveless silhouette, the top feels lightweight and breathable on hot days, while ribbed knits and stretch cotton fabrics offer a comfortable, body-skimming fit without feeling restrictive. — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 But regardless of any gentle ribbing among friends, Griffin has never been shy about plastic surgery. — Louis Peitzman, Entertainment Weekly, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rib
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rib
  1. parody
  2. joke
  3. tease
  4. spoof
  5. laugh
  6. kid
  7. satire
  8. joking
Noun
  • But the show is not a parody; where Hollis’ Martha Stewart domesticity could easily tip into satire, it’s treated as a legitimate trauma response to losing her nuclear family at an early age.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 9 July 2026
  • There should honestly be a sequel parody of Twister where the storm chasers use tornados to cover up their kills.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Definition of parody
Noun
  • For a few hours, the disappearance was fodder for office jokes, Mélanie Brinbaum, Nestlé’s European head of marketing and consumer communications, tells Fortune.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 July 2026
  • Poor Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are back in the mix, reprising their X-Men roles, and somehow, Channing Tatum is Gambit, like, for real and not as a joke.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Definition of joke
Verb
  • Later, on his social media, Ty teased another collaboration with the pop star in the future.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2026
  • Sales, who plays at Lawrence North High in Indianapolis, took official visits to all five of his finalists, and as recently as Tuesday, teased a picture of himself on a visit to Texas on his personal Instagram page.
    — Grace Raynor, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of tease
Noun
  • The lithe Pettet then sparkled as Mata Bond, the product of a love affair between Niven’s 007 and the spy Mata Hari, in the Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967).
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026
  • The goofy sketch comedies and homemade spoofs that once filled his channel gradually disappeared, replaced by melancholy short films and bleak monologues.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of spoof
Noun
  • Resplendent in a dark top and flowered scarves, Jackie has his hair ratted out, creating a kind of nimbus around his poignant, ready-to-laugh face, which is powdered white, with shiny, metallic-looking paillettes around the eyes.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • The dialogue, meanwhile, is played hilariously straight — good luck finding a laugh among these uncharted stars — and often consists of someone shouting another character's name.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of laugh
Verb
  • But Guthrie wasn’t kidding, slipping into a yellow gingham dress before joining her co-hosts on the Today Show Plaza to greet visitors.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
  • If there was any skepticism due to the level of competition Moss faced in college, don’t kid yourself.
    — Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of kid
Noun
  • Though the sculpture made fun of Chairman Mao and communism, the sculpture apparently didn’t hit Rodriguez as satire.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • Whitehead has a reputation for hopping among genres—zombie horror, media satire, historical fantasy—with a flair for entertainment value.
    — David Hajdu, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Definition of satire
Noun
  • Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of joking

Browse Nearby Words

riatas
rib
ribald
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rib.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rib. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on rib

Nglish: Translation of rib for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rib

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All