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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ribbing
Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 14 Nov. 2024
The sleeveless dress featured a halter and plunging neckline with visible ribbing.
—Julia Teti, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
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
See All Example Sentences for ribbing
Noun
Silver Stands feels like stepping into the kitchen of a relative who's comfortable enough with you to give you a bit of a ribbing.
—Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 14 Nov. 2024
The sleeveless dress featured a halter and plunging neckline with visible ribbing.
—Julia Teti, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019
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
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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Seinfeld is a Jewish man from New York’s Long Island with a wry and sarcastic sense of humor.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
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Others lose a sense of trust by the sarcastic digs, eye rolls, interrupting, or belittling.—
Rachel Glik, Contributor,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
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And there is some self-referential wordplay that resembles some old patterns that are really playful and watchable.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
25 Feb. 2025
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The puzzles are rarely straightforward, using homophones and wordplay, among other techniques, to challenge players.—
Theo Burman,
Newsweek,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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White was known for her wry smile and biting humor, which, even in her older years, never dulled our tamed.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
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Laugh often Studies from the Harvard Business Review reveal that teams led by founders who encourage playfulness and humor are 30% more productive and report significantly higher job satisfaction.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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While politicians trade barbs across the Atlantic, the reality looks quite different on the ground, where companies are already figuring out how to follow the AI Act.—
Jackie Snow,
Quartz,
22 Feb. 2025
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The confrontation came after Mills and Trump had traded barbs over the last 24 hours regarding his push to bar transgender athletes from playing in girls’ and women’s sports.—
Patrick Whittle,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
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