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
Esther Kang, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
The tequila comes in clear square bottles wrapped in ribbing, but the high-end extra anejo expression is jet black.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2025
Fans also faced some ribbing from Grayson Waller, who gave a shout-out to his favorite NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2025
The plastic handle includes ribbings and grooves to allow for a more comfortable positioning of the hand.
—Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ribbing
Adjective
Kristen Bell is using her final moments as the 2025 SAG Awards host for some good old-fashioned ribbing!
—Esther Kang, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
The tequila comes in clear square bottles wrapped in ribbing, but the high-end extra anejo expression is jet black.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2025
Fans also faced some ribbing from Grayson Waller, who gave a shout-out to his favorite NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2025
The plastic handle includes ribbings and grooves to allow for a more comfortable positioning of the hand.
—Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ribbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribbing
Verb
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Seinfeld was clearly teasing, but sure enough, several headlines reported it as gospel with perhaps a mention three paragraphs in that it was intended to be humorous.—
Jenelle Riley,
Variety,
6 Jan. 2025
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From teasing his retirement to becoming a minister and everything in between, here’s a look at the Hollywood star’s year of surprises.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
Fox News,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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For myself and many of my classmates, the four-story Forever 21 in Times Square was the most exciting part of our senior-class trip to New York City—not joking!—
Kaitlyn Tiffany,
The Atlantic,
18 Mar. 2025
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And, everyone was joking about it behind his back.—
Todd Nordstrom,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This is the kind of sarcastic humor that keeps the mood light throughout the 162-game marathon.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Aug. 2025
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This perky, self-aware, sarcastic and downright silly show caters to both the more traditional Goodspeed audiences.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
Noun
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On the other hand, nearly 60% of adults aged 45 and older believe the wordplay is appropriate.—
Pamela N. Danziger,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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The humor in Mafalda toggles from complex wordplay to visual humor to political allegory.—
Alex Dueben
July 21,
Literary Hub,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Despite that apprehension, No Hard Feelings is still a carefree project, filled with humor and levity while touching on the deep universality of love, heartbreak, and new beginnings.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
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Bronstein’s breathless, pressure-cooker visual approach and Byrne’s fearlessly committed performance (which earned her the Silver Bear at this year’s Berlinale) contribute to a full-throttle film that depicts life as a series of never-ending fires—without losing its sense of fanciful humor.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Political leaders in California and Texas have traded barbs this week over the comparative fairness of their congressional maps.—
Patrick Gleason,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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The primary case, which was punctuated by barbs legal and otherwise between the opponents, ended up going to arbitration.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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