1
as in parodies
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
the movie is a rib of the "dramatic love story" that was so popular in the 1950s
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2
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
began to lose his sense of humor after being the butt of his friends' ribs once too often
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as in kids
to make fun of in a good-natured way
ribbed him a bit about fumbling such an easy play
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ribs
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Capsaicin, a chemical concentrated in the seeds and ribs of chiles, is powerful stuff.
—Diana Hubbell, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2025
His first and only target came mid-way through the second quarter – taking a hit in the ribs and exiting the game.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
In the public farm area, there’s the casual Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery, serving dishes like lamb ribs, pizzas, and mezze platters.
—Heather Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
Locals advise that the best way to get your hands on Bean’s ribs is by preordering days or weeks in advance.
—Tykesha Spivey Burton, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
Christopher's barbecue had pork ribs with a dry rub, baked beans, and potato salad.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
The findings contained fossils of vertebrae, ribs, humerus, ulna, fibula and foot bones.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2025
Chunky, saucy ground beef melts into the soft bite-sized potato dumplings, bound to stick to your ribs.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
And that compulsion — a genuine, profound desire to share her findings with the world — makes for a classic, stick-to-your ribs documentary experience about a fascinating person.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Capsaicin, a chemical concentrated in the seeds and ribs of chiles, is powerful stuff.
—Diana Hubbell, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2025
His first and only target came mid-way through the second quarter – taking a hit in the ribs and exiting the game.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
In the public farm area, there’s the casual Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery, serving dishes like lamb ribs, pizzas, and mezze platters.
—Heather Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
Locals advise that the best way to get your hands on Bean’s ribs is by preordering days or weeks in advance.
—Tykesha Spivey Burton, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
Christopher's barbecue had pork ribs with a dry rub, baked beans, and potato salad.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
The findings contained fossils of vertebrae, ribs, humerus, ulna, fibula and foot bones.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2025
Chunky, saucy ground beef melts into the soft bite-sized potato dumplings, bound to stick to your ribs.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribs
Noun
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Last year, in response to some political parodies that used images created by artificial intelligence, including one that pilloried Vice President Kamala Harris, the Legislature passed and Newsom signed two measures to outlaw such tomfoolery.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
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Kaufman and Herz co-founded Troma Entertainment in 1974, which has produced or distributed more than 1,000 low-budget parodies in the past five decades, including the original Toxic Avenger movie in 1984.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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That means having to cut jokes that don't fit his do-no-harm MO.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
His voice is exuberant, especially when cracking jokes.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There’s also never really a good explanation for why the population of campers has dwindled, beyond Charlie Brown telling Sally that kids her age just want to watch TV instead of heading outdoors for fun.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Today, Neeson is doing action spoofs (thank God), and even the John Wick series has run its course.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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While the pants were a loss, the post provided plenty of laughs for the internet, and some great advice for the next time a day at the zoo goes wrong.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
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However, if you're pressed for time, check out the shorts Mike's New Car (2001) and Party Central (2014) for some quick laughs.—
Sydni Ellis,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After bulking up to play a professional footballer in horror movie Him (in theaters next week), Wayans teases his return for Scary Movie 6, the sequel to the horror-parody franchise.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The video teases the emotional reunion between Noah and Nick after their devastating breakup, questioning whether the couple can survive their final race together after their fast-burning love affair reached a breaking point and screeched to a sudden halt.—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Babe’s brines and smokes Duroc ham and roasts the pork with Italian seasoning and onions.—
Carlos Frías,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 Aug. 2025
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The shop roasts its beans onsite daily and serves up refreshing treats like smoothies, juices, ice cream, and gelato.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribs. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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