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tease

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb tease contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of tease are annoy, harass, harry, pester, plague, and worry. While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.

children teased the dog

In what contexts can annoy take the place of tease?

While in some cases nearly identical to tease, annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.

you're doing that just to annoy me

When would harass be a good substitute for tease?

In some situations, the words harass and tease are roughly equivalent. However, harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.

harassed on all sides by creditors

When can harry be used instead of tease?

Although the words harry and tease have much in common, harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.

the strikers had been harried by thugs

Where would pester be a reasonable alternative to tease?

The synonyms pester and tease are sometimes interchangeable, but pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.

constantly pestered with trivial complaints

When might plague be a better fit than tease?

The words plague and tease can be used in similar contexts, but plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.

plagued all her life by poverty

When is it sensible to use worry instead of tease?

The words worry and tease are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.

pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tease
Noun
Read Next National McDonald’s teases first new permanent menu item since 2021. Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2025 No official date has been shared—but the tease itself is a flex. Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
West, now know as Ye, has teased the incendiary single for days on livestreams, but to little success on music streaming platforms. August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025 Atwell teases that this time, Grace will become fully immersed in the IMF world after spending much of the previous film on her own. EW.com, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tease
Noun
  • Resurging opposition to fluoridation — the practice of adding fluoride to public water systems at safe levels to prevent tooth decay — has been a nuisance for dentists, researchers and public health experts.
    Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 12 May 2025
  • How to get rid of gnats Generally, gnats are more of a nuisance than an actual threat to humans.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • Porter Township School Corporation Superintendant Stacey Schmidt joked that despite Union Township Bearcats being their arch-rivals, her community did not support a data center being thrust upon them.
    Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
  • In November, Liam joked on X that Oasis had, in fact, recorded a new album.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Becky taunted Valkyria’s fiancee, who was in the crowd.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
  • The older Haliburton stormed the floor and taunted Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo after the game.
    Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 4 May 2025
Noun
  • Monica Mercuri Stay tuned for the official teaser and trailer for The Bear Season 4.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • As the teaser begins, Kardashian, Nash-Betts and Watts sit at a table with a client.
    Julia Moore, People.com, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • When Murderbot finally starts voicing its annoyance to Mensah and the team, the series gets a lot more entertaining.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 12 May 2025
  • There will be tension within and between the couples; some of their annoyance may in turn annoy the viewer.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • But just kidding, actually $14 'cuz the orange tags were 50 percent off.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 May 2025
  • All kidding aside, Armstrong believes Steen will be ready in 2026.
    Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • This perennial prairie native thrives in poor soil and summer heat, tolerating drought, deer, and pests.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 18 May 2025
  • Corteva supplies farmers with products for pest and disease control, as well as seeds, livestock feed and nutrient maximizers, which help stabilize nitrogen levels in the soil.
    Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • The identity of his tormentors and their reason for targeting him remains a mystery until the final minutes, which turn the episode into one sick, distasteful joke.
    Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Eddie asks his tormentor, likening himself to the main character of Dostoevsky’s classic.
    Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tease. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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