Thesaurus results for RIBBING

ribbing 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of ribbing

as in joking

marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing the lightly ribbing tone tipped me off that this wasn't a serious reprimand

Synonyms & Similar Words

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ribbing

2 of 3

noun

as in mocking

Related Words

ribbing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of rib

as in teasing

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 ribbing

Adjective

Their trademark humor — that mix of cheeky absurdism and brotherly ribbing — is fully intact, recalling their ‘60s press conferences that won the hearts of a suspicious media. — Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025 This strapless bra delivers a surprising amount of support and structure, with a longline silhouette, hook-and-eye closure, and subtle ribbing that give it a slightly corset-like feel. — Malia Griggs, Glamour, 26 Nov. 2025

Noun

Plus, the vertical ribbing gives a subtle lengthening effect (always a win). — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026 The ribbing, a feature fishermen look for, also traps more air to retain body heat. — Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2026

Verb

The left-hander has stuck with the Mavs, despite his buddies back home ribbing him about the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 7 June 2026 Murphy returned the favor by ribbing him by saying that every time Lee’s beloved New York Knicks lost their bid to become NBA champs, Lee was in the building. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 19 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ribbing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribbing

Adjective

Starring Andrew Scott as British actor Ian Charleson, who throws himself into playing Hamlet while succumbing to AIDS, the film’s ensemble cast features Dolan as the sarcastic receptionist at the National Theatre in London.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
The sarcastic Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and affable actor Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) are among her favorite characters.

— Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of sarcastic

Noun

Paul’s confidence was growing, and the left tackle seemingly responded to his challengers by laughing at their efforts in a mocking manner.

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
Arteta and his Arsenal squad have, of course, downplayed the noise around the club this season, arguing that the widespread mocking doesn’t impact the inner sanctum of the team.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026

Definition of mocking

Verb

Bill Hader offered his thoughts on voice acting and artificial intelligence while teasing his next projects at the Variety Entertainment & Technology Summit presented by EY, held Thursday in Los Angeles.

— Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
After teasing fans on social media and in interviews for the past few months, Oasis have officially announced a 2027 tour.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of teasing

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
Just kidding, but seeing Angela’s team sweep Shamea’s at the Bailey Bowl basketball tournament was almost as satisfying as knowing Charles got to witness his former team’s historic win in person.

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 22 June 2026

Definition of kidding

Verb

Country star Russell Dickerson and his wife, Kailey, even leave their boys with grandma for warehouse dates, with Kailey joking that any kid-free excursion – especially a Costco run – feels romantic.

— Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
Texas quarterback Arch Manning apologized Tuesday for publicly joking about an AI-altered video that depicted Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe in the moments after Texas' big win over Ohio State.

— CBS News, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of joking

Noun

Most Popular Still, some chefs are happy for a salad to contain an element of richness, like at Maison Sota in Paris, where chef Sota Atsumi serves mixed leaves and seasonal vegetables dressed with a rich foie gras sauce, to thrilling effect.

— Joel Hart, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2026
Despite the richness of color, everything feels beautifully cohesive, a design language that is fresh, considered, and full of unexpected details.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of richness

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ribbers

ribbing

ribbon

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“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of ribbing

adjective

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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