ribbing

¹ American  

[rib-ing] / ˈrɪb ɪŋ /

noun

1. ribs collectively.

2. an assemblage or arrangement of ribs, as in cloth or a ship.

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ribbing ² American  

[rib-ing] / ˈrɪb ɪŋ /

noun

1. an act or instance of teasing.

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ribbing British  

/ ˈrɪbɪŋ /

noun

1. a framework or structure of ribs

2. ribs collectively

3. a raised pattern in woven or knitted material, made in knitting by doing purl and plain stitches alternately

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Etymology

Origin of ribbing¹

First recorded in 1555–65; rib ¹ + -ing ¹

Origin of ribbing²

First recorded in 1930–35; rib ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ribbing

On Wednesday, the usual bad-tempered jibes and angry exchanges witnessed in the political theatre of the weekly Prime Minister's Questions, were replaced by gentle ribbing.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

“In the Bozeman area, are you going to get ribbed and teased for being from L.A.? Yes. But do I think people really care after you get that ribbing? No,” he says.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 23, 2026

For the second year in a row, comedian Nikki Glaser got the Golden Globes party started by ribbing everyone from the A-listers attending the ceremony to the industry at large to current events.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2026

None have more than Marchand, whose ribbing style once earned the nickname “Little Ball of Hate” from none other than former President Barack Obama.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2025

Followed by laughter and the good-natured ribbing that usually followed one of Luke’s epic failures on this front.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

Related Words

• banter
• taunt
• taunting