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
as in mocking
Related Words
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
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Recent Examples of ribbing
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
Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
And secondly, the ribbing around the quarter-zip is comfy-looking and actually works to insulate by trapping air.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2025
Sam Blum, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, light ribbing on the sides gives your fingers extra grip, and that feature extends down to the wing, where your right thumb will rest.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
But it’s also taken a ribbing for recalls, which have been mounting rapidly.
—Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
And secondly, the ribbing around the quarter-zip is comfy-looking and actually works to insulate by trapping air.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2025
Verb
Not exactly a denial by Lux, who appeared to not take the ribbing too seriously.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, light ribbing on the sides gives your fingers extra grip, and that feature extends down to the wing, where your right thumb will rest.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ribbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribbing
Noun
-
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
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Afroman celebrated his legal victory in a video on Wednesday after winning a defamation lawsuit filed by several Ohio sheriff's deputies who accused the rapper of mocking and allegedly lying about them in music videos, following a 2022 raid on his home.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
All the thespian’s chemistry felt less like castmates promoting a production and more like siblings teasing one another out of deep affection.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
Luther Ford’s start in this industry began with a teasing dare from his relatives.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Moss-Bachrach runs through a lot of emotions countering Bernthal here, cycling Richie through jokey acceptance of Mikey’s razzing, some light teasing of his own, and glimpses of uncertainty.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 May 2026
-
Ernie was given to fun-loving razzing of others in the locker room.—
Ron Mix,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Gosling, of course, was kidding.—
Jake Coyle,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
Just kidding, but that would’ve been awesome.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No fooling, April brings some pretty interesting surprises on Netflix.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After a while, my joking friend picked up on the other friend’s energy and apologized.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
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The two have grown close as a regular double-play duo, constantly joking and laughing together in the clubhouse and on the field.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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Now, in a more intimate setting, the sullen and sometimes-sarcastic shadings of this longtime singer-songwriter should hark back to Folds’ fledgling days on the alt-music scene.—
David L. Coddon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
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In addition to Miranda's scathing remarks to Andy (Anne Hathaway) while trying to complete seemingly impossible tasks, Emily (Emily Blunt) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci) taught her how to navigate office politics with their own sarcastic comments.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Noun
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The texture is silky, balancing tropical-fruit richness with crisp vegetal notes.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
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Lasagna The late Anthony Bourdain put chicken livers in his ragu for extra richness and depth.—
Restaurant Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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