😄 Good-natured teasing 🏗️ A support frame

ribbing

6 4.4

A friendly joke that tries to make someone laugh without hurting them

noun
/ˈrɪbɪŋ/

Informal

: bromas

In our friendly group, we all enjoy ribbing each other about our silly mistakes.
good-natured ribbing
gentle ribbing
friendly ribbing

And, you know, I, I, I took a lot of ribbing.

Examples

I was the rookie, and in the locker room, I took some ribbing for being a professor.

Fiction book (1995)
I do enjoy the ribbing, though.

Blog text (2)
Of course there was a lot of ribbing, and teasing of people who said they had seen it.

The Bray Road Beast (2018)
I guess he couldn't take the ribbing.

Bad Ass 2: Bad Asses (2014)
Kroll didn't get out the door without a little ribbing from the City Council.

Blog text (15)
Did she take the ribbing in stride, or do you think she was insulted by it?

Blog text (1)
Joyce had put up with a lot of ribbing over the years from her coworkers about her infamous relative.

Fiction book (2001)
He knew he wouldn't get through breakfast without more ribbing from his coworkers, but most of it turned out to be good-natured.

Fiction book (1994)
He laughed off the ribbing he received from his friends, knowing it was all in good fun.
After the game, the teammates engaged in some light ribbing about their performances.

Synonyms

teasing

vsribbing

Offensive

22 2.3

Making fun of someone, often playfully but sometimes hurtfully

is the kinder nonmalicious form focusing on amusement

rib

vsribbing

Informal

3 3.6

A joking remark said in a friendly way

is more about gentle amusement without causing offense

slagging

vsribbing

Offensive

2 8.2

Teasing or insulting someone, often in a friendly way

is the mild good natured joking that avoids genuine insult

wind-up

vsribbing

1 6.5

An act that teases or tricks someone as a joke

is the gentler form that focuses on good natured harmless teasing

tease

vsribbing

1 4.0

An act of making fun of someone in a playful way

is specifically about friendly mockery meant not to offend

persiflage

vsribbing

1 9.9

Light playful teasing talk that is not serious

is broader, focusing on harmless amusement rather than mild sarcasm

raillery

vsribbing

1 8.8

Light teasing that is friendly and not meant to hurt

is about teasing that aims to amuse without causing offense

playful jab

vsribbing

Informal

1 4.6

A short teasing remark that makes someone laugh without hurting them

is similar but stresses kind intent rather than hurt

friendly insult

vsribbing

Informal

1 4.5

A joke people who know each other well say to tease without meaning harm

is more general playful mockery focused on good natured amusement

snip-snap banter

vsribbing

9.0

A quick, funny talk where people tease each other playfully

is more about steady teasing aimed at amusement not only quick wit

Antonyms

compliment

300 1.6

A polite remark that praises someone or something

praise

220 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

How Playful

teasing

5 2.7

ribbing

Informal

6 4.4

to banter

Informal

9 4.6

joking

10 1.2

Surface Forms

ribbing singular

ribbings plural

Morphology

ribbing = rib (transparent) = rib + ing

A straightforward nominalization of the verb 'rib' (to tease) with '-ing' to denote the action or instance of teasing.

Etymology

Ribbing as friendly teasing is a lively image to remember: a helpful way to think of it is as a small 'poke' at the rib, a quick joke that gently bothers someone. So when people talk about ribbing today, they mean light, good-natured teasing rather than serious insult.