teasing

[ tee-zing ]

/ ˈti zɪŋ /

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See synonyms for: teasing / teasings on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of persistently annoying someone, especially playfully and with silly jokes about them: Most holidays, we all manage to squeeze in at Grandma’s and enjoy a crazy day full of laughter, teasing, eating, and sharing.

the act of bullying, harassing, or tormenting someone: Many students with learning disabilities suffer the frustration of low achievement and the teasing and poor self-image that come with it.

the act of purposely exciting, tantalizing, or sexually arousing someone without providing subsequent gratification: She smiled over her shoulder at him, brown eyes shiny with teasing.

adjective

harassing, tantalizing, or playfully annoying someone in any of these ways: In answer to my eager question, they shrugged a teasing “maybe.”Lisa turns 20 next month and her mother is already sending her teasing texts featuring grandma emojis.

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Origin of teasing

teas(e) + -ing¹ for the noun senses; teas(e) + -ing² for the adjective sense

OTHER WORDS FROM teasing

teas·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby teasing

teasel gourd, tease out, teaser, tea service, tea shop, teasing, teaspoon, teaspoonful, teat, tea table, teataster

How to use teasing in a sentence

The result is a standout, lyrically bleak novel whose teasing title, “The Dark Remains,” can be taken to mean a few things — none of them good.
Ian Rankin took on the challenge of finishing his mentor’s book. The result is a darkly beautiful novel.|Maureen Corrigan|September 22, 2021|Washington Post
I inherited the Arnold Family Thunder ThighsTM, which was a source of frequent teasing and distress for me as a child.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After some teasing and talking, Mulvehill writes that she is “hesitant” but they start kissing.
School Shooters Love This Pickup Artist Website|Brandy Zadrozny|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The teasing is so common that is has been accepted as “the standard ginger bullying” by those who Knights has encountered.
Redheads Are Sexy, Dammit!|Justin Jones|September 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Leach ran an ad teasing Margolies about her Clinton connection, dismissing the first family of Democratic politics as old news.
What Democratic Revolt? Moderate Cruises in PA-13 Primary|David Freedlander|May 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The group was overheard teasing Harry about reports that he will soon be walking down the aisle.
Harry and Cressida 'Break Up'|Tom Sykes|April 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then I suddenly realised she was talking seriously—looking to me for help of some kind—and at once I dropped the teasing attitude.
Three More John Silence Stories|Algernon Blackwood
Tom and Blanche had fallen into teasing tricks, a sort of melancholy play to relieve the tedium.
The Daisy Chain|Charlotte Yonge
He has been teasing my parrot in its cage, and has plucked so many of its feathers that it now looks like a beaked rat.
Kari the Elephant|Dhan Gopal Mukerji
I came up to the elephant, and seeing what was going on, told the white men to stop teasing him.
Kari the Elephant|Dhan Gopal Mukerji
All night the thought crept through my brain like a teasing spider: What can we do to make him stay?
The Holes and John Smith|Edward W. Ludwig