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
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as in mocking
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ribbing
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
The wide hem is made with gorgeous ribbing that completes the look, and the sweater is even double discounted to just $37 for a limited time.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Oct. 2024
The sweater, which is from her signature G. Label by goop brand, is finished with solid ribbing at the crew neckline, cuffs, and hem.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2024
The stretch material is comfortable, and the vertical ribbing along the hem and front pockets add extra detail.
—Shea Simmons, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ribbing 
Noun
The riffs and ribbing were still there, as were the parables about fame and celebrity as corruptive, murder-inspiring forces.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
The wide hem is made with gorgeous ribbing that completes the look, and the sweater is even double discounted to just $37 for a limited time.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Oct. 2024
The sweater, which is from her signature G. Label by goop brand, is finished with solid ribbing at the crew neckline, cuffs, and hem.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2024
The stretch material is comfortable, and the vertical ribbing along the hem and front pockets add extra detail.
—Shea Simmons, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024
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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Nile and Bernard seemed like best friends, always joking and very excited.David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2024
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Not just the kind of vaudevillian two guys joking around with each other on stage, but even just as individual comedians.Justin Koreis, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But Baldoni alleges that the Times ignored additional context in the same text exchange that indicates Nathan and Abel were joking and being sarcastic.Brian Welk, IndieWire, 31 Dec. 2024
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Frustrated that people do not believe his consistent response to the same question, his tone grew sarcastic.Emmanuel Morgan, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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However, the puzzles are rarely straightforward, using homophones and wordplay, among other techniques, to keep players challenged.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
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Carlo Emilio Gadda, for example, was an old-school modernist, interested in wordplay and dialect and spiraling digressions.Christopher Tayler, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But in their performance Scott and Seth Avett find the humor and simpatico interest in the song.David Browne, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2025
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Publicize your acknowledgment of wrongdoing in a way that feels authentic to your brand and the scale of the misstep—and, if appropriate, a bit of self-deprecating humor often helps.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Zuckerberg also traded barbs with Trump, particularly over immigration and misinformation.Kif Leswing, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025
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The former Pittsburgh Steeler then hit back Jemele Hill, calling her comment unfunny. Jemele Hill and Antonio Brown’s barbs arrive in the aftermath of Faraji’s explosive lawsuit.Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ribbing
Cite this Entry
“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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