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
Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2026
But it’s also taken a ribbing for recalls, which have been mounting rapidly.
—Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
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
The friendly ribbing is rooted in respect.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2026
But it’s also taken a ribbing for recalls, which have been mounting rapidly.
—Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
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
-
Off Campus is playing the long game by also teasing the fourth installment in Kennedy’s series, The Goal.—
Kenneal Patterson,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
-
Netflix’s The Boroughs ends with a twist, teasing the future of the series and hinting at the true origin of Mother.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
28 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
-
Zucker watched the video and thought Harper — more known for his brush with greatness as a two-time NL MVP — was kidding.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
Gilpin isn’t kidding about the haunting.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
27 May 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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Liu is sworn to secrecy about the latter fantasy epic, joking that a publicist will blow dart us from across the room for saying too much.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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On the King's coronation day in May 2023, videos of Thompson helping the King with his ceremonial robes went viral, with commenters joking that the handsome soldier should be crowned as well.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Shah’s closest ally (and the person most willing to call Shah on his lies to himself and others) is his cousin Zulfi, a gigantic character who Khan energizes with fast-talking charm, sarcastic asides, and an assessing glare that can cut through anyone’s defenses.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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Yet another compared the look to Van Gogh, while others were more than ready to take Bieber up on her presumably sarcastic offer to accept appointments.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
25 May 2026
Noun
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The spirit is then aged for roughly 18–24 months in American white oak, long enough to nudge it toward extra-Añejo richness while remaining legally Añejo.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Morrison’s aesthetic is very oriented toward a kind of richness of interpretation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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