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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in kids
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 ribs
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
Customers can find ribs, jerky, steaks including marbled ribeye, filet mignon, briskets, roasts, ground beef and tallow.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
Right-hander Logan Webb drilled Rushing in the ribs with a pitch in the sixth inning Thursday.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Barbecue is a major focus, with items like brisket, pulled pork and ribs smoked in-store, alongside sides such as mac and cheese, roasted vegetables, collard greens, cheesy jalapeño grits and garlic Parmesan roasted potatoes.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Located at the Seaport Hotel, the specialty at Reef Restaurant and Coffee Shop is Jack Daniel ribs.
—Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The autopsy findings identified two penetrating wounds to the torso that likely caused her death— one on the right side of the abdomen that damaged the liver, and another on the upper left chest that passed between two ribs and fractured adjacent ribs.
—Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
By March, crews found the mandible of an adult man, followed within days by the ribs of a young adult.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
The Cook County medical examiner’s office found that the fatal shot pierced Rivera’s skin near her left armpit and traveled through both her lungs, wedging itself in her ribs, autopsy records show.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
With the Dodgers leading 3-0 in the top of the sixth on Thursday, Webb fired a four-seam fastball into Rushing’s ribs.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
Customers can find ribs, jerky, steaks including marbled ribeye, filet mignon, briskets, roasts, ground beef and tallow.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
Right-hander Logan Webb drilled Rushing in the ribs with a pitch in the sixth inning Thursday.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Barbecue is a major focus, with items like brisket, pulled pork and ribs smoked in-store, alongside sides such as mac and cheese, roasted vegetables, collard greens, cheesy jalapeño grits and garlic Parmesan roasted potatoes.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Located at the Seaport Hotel, the specialty at Reef Restaurant and Coffee Shop is Jack Daniel ribs.
—Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The autopsy findings identified two penetrating wounds to the torso that likely caused her death— one on the right side of the abdomen that damaged the liver, and another on the upper left chest that passed between two ribs and fractured adjacent ribs.
—Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
By March, crews found the mandible of an adult man, followed within days by the ribs of a young adult.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
The Cook County medical examiner’s office found that the fatal shot pierced Rivera’s skin near her left armpit and traveled through both her lungs, wedging itself in her ribs, autopsy records show.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribs
Noun
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While the show featured many of the same characters, its format strayed from the sci-fi space narrative of Spaceballs and instead was a series of parodies, each episode serving as a satirical commentary on several contemporary hits, such as Lord of the Rings, American Idol and Harry Potter.—
Maddie Garfinkle,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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Human artists have designed creative parodies of AI slop, but AI lacks the necessary self-awareness to parody itself, even with a human behind the wheel.—
Cath Virginia,
The Verge,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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One of his jokes in particular has drawn new attention, given the shooting incident at the dinner on Saturday, forcing the Secret Service to rush the Trumps and other administration officials from the dais and other seats near the stage.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
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Kimmel delivered the jokes about the first lady at a special version of his show that included his version of a fake monologue for the WHCD.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Young Michael may have seemed strange, or just plain different, to kids his own age, but what about the adult Michael, whose professional life took him outside the family orbit and into offices, studios, and night clubs?—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
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Both kids cheer and bite into their burgers.—
Fortesa Latifi,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The success of more straightforward spoofs such as Schaffer’s The Naked Gun last year is also reassuring; that film was a classic joke-a-minute throwback that largely worked (for both viewers and critics), more in line with the sort of fare that the Lonely Island made early on.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
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Retro Rewind players run a Blockbuster Video-like movie-rental store set in the early 1990s, complete with spoofs of real blockbusters of the era.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Some of the masterminds behind NBC‘s Saturday Night Live Season 51 brought the laughs all the way from Studio 8H to the DGA Theater to break down the process behind keeping the iconic sketch comedy engine running after more than five decades for Deadline Contenders TV.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
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Their laughs and chatter fill the countryside and one another’s hearts, the merriment binding them all together like caterpillars in one big cocoon.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The video not only teases the studio’s upcoming films and highlights the talent who have signed deals, but also reflects on the Paramount lot’s 100th anniversary.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
23 Apr. 2026
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Despite ending with onscreen text that teases a second movie, there are no scenes during the credits.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The cafe roasts its coffee beans on-site and excels at classics, including French toast and egg sandwiches.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
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The shop roasts a wide variety of coffee in-house each morning, which should be enjoyed with a delectable selection of baked goods from the bakery counter.—
Kim Kay,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ribs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribs. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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