tease
verb (used with object)
to irritate or provoke with persistent petty distractions, trifling jests, or other annoyances, often in a playful way.
have been teasing
-
present perfect progressiveof tease.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rodrigo and her team have been teasing the album since winter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2026
Mark Joseph Stern: So, Dahlia, the Supreme Court finally released the report that justices have been teasing since September.
From Slate ● Jan. 19, 2023
Speaking to reporters in Dallas, the 23-year-old said teammates have been teasing him all week for being shut out.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 29, 2022
Watch to learn how researchers and doctors have been teasing apart how COVID-19 effects the brain, and testing treatments to alleviate symptoms.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 15, 2022
Going up to the old woman, she said, ‘These bad boys have been teasing you sadly, I fear, Moggy.’
From Mountain Moggy The Stoning of the Witch by William Henry Giles Kingston
