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
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2025
The hat has a timeless knitted look on the outside, with ribbing, a fold-over cuff, and a pom pom on top.
—Clint Davis, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ribbing
Noun
The material is 70 percent cotton with cozy ribbing and a bit of stretch.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2025
The hat has a timeless knitted look on the outside, with ribbing, a fold-over cuff, and a pom pom on top.
—Clint Davis, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2025
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
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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O’Brien has a very specific brand of humor that mixes the bombastic and the surreal with a biting sharpness and a healthy dose of self depreciation.—
Rosa Escandon,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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Related article Why the dinner party is a declining art At the end of the day, small talk is meant to be lighthearted and enjoyable, and a little humor and compassion go a long way, Sah said.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Cboe Volatility Index, a gauge of fear on Wall Street, spiked as the leaders traded barbs.—
Hakyung Kim,Alex Harring,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2025
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Taiwan and China have also traded barbs this week over the severing of an undersea communications cable off the island’s southwest coast.—
Reuters,
NBC News,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribbing. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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