tease
verb (used with object)
to irritate or provoke with persistent petty distractions, trifling jests, or other annoyances, often in a playful way.
teased
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past participleof tease.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof tease.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
teaseverb (used with object)to irritate or provoke with persistent petty distractions, trifling jests, or other annoyances, often in a playful way.
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.
The new products are teased early and often but the rollouts are slow given the size and complexity of their fleets and, for lounges, lengthy construction timetables.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
He teased that a Dec. 4 Listening Room event in Seattle for India Arie’s “Acoustic Soul” will feature a special guest.
From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026
The Lakers teased their new defensive identity in a 127-103 preseason win against the Sacramento Kings on Monday at Golden 1 Center, rolling out their deep group of wings to overcome a short-handed bench.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
As is to be expected from the Silent Hill games, the real reasons why you're there and what's going on are teased as you progress through the story in a typically vague fashion.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
He even teased Old Tallow, but he loved giving her little gifts, too, and in the evenings he told stories until way after the owls began to call.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
