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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ribbing
Anna Chan, Billboard, 26 June 2025
And our ribbing had not in the least shaken his confidence.
—Robeson Bailey, Outdoor Life, 11 June 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
While the fan messages did make the guys laugh, a lot of it was thanks to their ribbing of each other and themselves.
—Anna Chan, Billboard, 26 June 2025
And our ribbing had not in the least shaken his confidence.
—Robeson Bailey, Outdoor Life, 11 June 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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Gunn has been teasing this new feature for weeks, saying that his next project won’t be a direct sequel to Superman, but will feature characters audiences already know from his summer hit.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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The radio host was set to return to his SiriusXM show this morning, after nearly a month of teasing a big reveal surrounding rumors that his show would be canceled.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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Ross is also executive producer of Netflix’s celebrity roasts as well as a writer and a performer on them, including the headlines-making mocking of former NFL quarterback and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Pat Kelsey wasn't kidding about wanting the smoke.—
Leo Bertucci,
The Courier-Journal,
2 Sep. 2025
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In 2019, Lebanese depositors discovered that their banking system had, in effect, just been kidding about those savings accounts.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Over 150,000 Facebook users liked Southwest Airlines’ post and many took to the comment section joking that Captain John was setting a high standard for his son-in-law, Quinn.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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Longfellow’s departure is somewhat of a surprise given that he was seemingly being primed to take over the Weekend Update desk at some point after some successful stints behind the desk, joking about topics such as TikTok and Real ID.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Even an otherwise neutral comment can be contorted into a sarcastic retort, an insult or a counterattack.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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On the par-4 14th, Scheffler splashed out of a greenside bunker to 10 feet, missed the par putt, and then, without hesitation, threw a sarcastic fist pump toward the hole.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Pesto-Parmesan Croutons add richness to what is typically a light summer meal.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Medium-full, with very good richness on the palate.—
Tom Hyland,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Below are some highlights… MANCHILD Lots of clever wordplay on the album’s lead single to put down a guy who’s about as sharp as a round ball.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
29 Aug. 2025
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The wit and wordplay never cease, and there’s much pleasure to be drawn from Colman and Cumberbatch spitting McNamara’s contemptuous dialogue with aplomb.—
Katie Walsh,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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There are scenes of strange, often violent pathos that punctuate the potty humor and punch-throwing.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ken is a more marginal figure by design, though his British cringe humor never stops feeling somewhat at odds with the show’s small-city, Midwest setting.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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