teased

VERB

aggravate, provoke

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annoy badger bother harass mock needle nudge pester pick on ridicule tantalize taunt torment

STRONG

bait banter bedevil beleaguer chaff devil disturb dog gibe gnaw goad harry hector importune jive josh plague rag rally razz rib ride roast slam snap sound spoof vex worry

WEAK

be at give a hard time lead on put down send up swipe at

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid delight flatter help make happy please praise

STRONG

assist free quiet reassure soothe

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.

"There were times... There were times..." teased William.

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026

Attitude Towards Press: The gossip columnist Earl Wilson once teased Parker: “There’s a rumor, Colonel, that if Elvis ever gets married, you’re going to have it in the Hollywood Bowl and sell tickets.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 28, 2026

This week, Carlson teased an interview with podcasters Joel Webbon and J.D.

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026

He separately teased an upcoming announcement about a funding pool “based on hybrid quantum and quantum computing algorithms.”

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

“You always have to be the best at everything,” he teased, and when that failed to make her smile, he added, “I’m kidding. You’re not a jerk at all.”

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman