ribbing 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of ribbingnext
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

Relevance

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
The ribbing, a feature fishermen look for, also traps more air to retain body heat. — Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2026 Not exactly a denial by Lux, who appeared to not take the ribbing too seriously. — Sam Blum, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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 Sweet, awkward Hulda (Isolde Ardies) is often the target of her ribbing. — Judy Berman, Time, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ribbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribbing
  1. sarcastic
  2. mocking
  3. teasing
  4. razzing
  5. kidding
  6. fooling
  7. joking
  8. richness
Adjective
  • Our second president, John Adams, was said to have had a sarcastic demeanor and made biting remarks about his contemporaries.
    — John Blumenthal, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Why are people so hungry for a bratty, sarcastic version of Abigail Williams?
    — Moises Mendez II, USA Today, 15 Aug. 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
  • The film also shows Reagan confidently teasing his negotiating team about being Democrats, which was probably done so that the movie could make the summit seem like a bipartisan effort.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Pasquarosa began teasing her relationship with Fiore in late February by posting photos and videos with him on social media.
    — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of teasing
Noun
  • Fans of both teams traded chants and lighthearted razzing as their light-rail train neared the stadium.
    — Gabriel Sama, Mercury News, 1 July 2026
  • Fans of both have had to endure constant razzing for underperforming on the big stage.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of razzing
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
Noun
  • No fooling, April brings some pretty interesting surprises on Netflix.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of fooling
Verb
  • Though some eagle fans had good fun with her name and joking that Shadow was cheating on Jackie, Jolene is considered a bit too young to be thinking about mating.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
  • They were dressed as food-delivery workers, carrying insulated bags on their backs, joking with one another and livestreaming everything with their phones.
    — Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of joking
Noun
  • This set of interlocking monologues of Black womanhood speaks vividly and fully the the richness of Black women’s experience.
    — Anne E. Fernald, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The objective should not be to maximize the richness of every physical interaction.
    — Ayşe Çetinel, Harvard Business Review, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of richness

Browse Nearby Words

ribbers
ribbing
ribbon
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on ribbing

Nglish: Translation of ribbing for Spanish Speakers

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 august

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'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?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All