tease
verb (used with object)
to irritate or provoke with persistent petty distractions, trifling jests, or other annoyances, often in a playful way.
was teasing
-
past progressiveof tease.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
But Badenoch claimed "it was teasing, not calling them Nazis".
From BBC ● Nov. 28, 2025
It's unclear what the "Toxic" singer was teasing for fans.
From Fox News ● Feb. 9, 2022
McEnroe later acknowledged that Zverev was teasing, but McEnroe said he was eager for “bulletin-board material.”
From New York Times ● Sep. 27, 2021
He added that he was teasing, but then hit the gas and sped away.
From Seattle Times ● May 19, 2021
“Miss Grump got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Mr. Morrison told me, winking to show he was teasing Lissa.
From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn
