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 teasing
to make fun of in a good-natured way
ribbed him a bit about fumbling such an easy play
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in mocking
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ribbing
Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 16 Aug. 2025
Plus, the allover ribbing gives them a subtly textured look.
—Joana Ariza, Glamour, 25 July 2025
Bria McNeal, Travel + Leisure, 28 Aug. 2025
Other fast-casual chains have joined in on the ribbing, including Steak n’ Shake, which embodies its own 1950s aesthetic.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ribbing
Adjective
The program has sparked controversy and backlash from progressives on multiple occasions during its more than two-decade history on the air for its satirical representations of religious figures, extensive use of racist language and ribbing of climate change activists.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 16 Aug. 2025
Plus, the allover ribbing gives them a subtly textured look.
—Joana Ariza, Glamour, 25 July 2025
Noun
Inversion Rib Legging These Vuori leggings feature stylish ribbing to elevate the look, making them as fitting for a morning yoga sesh as a red-eye flight.
—Bria McNeal, Travel + Leisure, 28 Aug. 2025
Other fast-casual chains have joined in on the ribbing, including Steak n’ Shake, which embodies its own 1950s aesthetic.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ribbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribbing
Verb
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As of this writing, there's no official trailer for Interview With the Vampire season 3, though AMC did drop a teaser teasing Lestat's life as a rock icon.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
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Emerald Fennell is teasing her film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, which garnered significant attention following the release of the trailer earlier this month.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Still, the DoE’s X post drew millions of views and many mocking replies, including a community note reminding readers that batteries exist to store power when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
8 Sep. 2025
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More Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images After Atlanta's preseason win to the Dallas Cowboys, an opposing Cowboys fan echoed the mocking mispronunciation of Penix's name that caught the quarterback's attention.—
Cecil Merkerson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Okay, kidding about that last part.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
7 Oct. 2025
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Pat Kelsey wasn't kidding about wanting the smoke.—
Leo Bertucci,
The Courier-Journal,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When Brian Kilmeade complained about the size, joking that sandwiches this large often require a fork, Han offered some playful advice.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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Mars just kind of came joking around because that sounds bigger than life.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Following the mother-daughter duo of Lorelai Gilmore, played by Lauren Graham, and Rory, played by Alexis Bledel, Gilmore Girls was perfectly made for millennials, packed with wistful romances, frustrating dramatic turns and just enough sarcastic jokes.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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Viewers on Reddit were amused by the extortionate price shown for the vacation deal in the recent post, with several sharing their sarcastic takes on it.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The pureed corn mixture is buttery, savory, and surprisingly decadent despite having only a small amount of dairy, The corn's natural sugars add an edge of sweetness to the sauce; the sauce coats the pasta like an Alfredo and matches its richness but is not as cheesy as an Alfredo.—
Elizabeth Mervosh,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
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Unlacquered brass pulls will also bring out the richness in light ochre, and a lightly veined marble or creamy quartz will add softness, keeping the entire palette feeling expansive.—
Tessa Cooper,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Displacing the ’90s boom bap and aughts brawlers of her last album is a streak of assiduous ’80s R&B exercises that foreground her gains as a vocalist more often than her gobstopping wordplay as a rapper.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
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If your family enjoys wordplay games, choose Scrabble or Crazy Letters.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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By pivoting back to pop anthems with humor, empathy, a little fury and a lot of wisdom, Swift ensures that ascent will continue.—
Jason Lipshutz,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
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For Beckham, the choice carried both humor and fashion weight.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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