tease

[teez] / tiz /

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.

So that tease at the end has seeds for acres and acres of stories.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

The movie’s real twist is in everything that follows the trailer’s tease.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

"These simulations allow us to tease out small effects to determine what actually happens, helping us to understand our observations."

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

"We did this to try to start to tease out whether the changes they saw were to do with the biological process of pregnancy or more the process of becoming a mum," Carmona says.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

I am about to tease him for actually making a sound when I realize the person rattling the doors isn’t the Ghost at all.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

Vocabulary lists containing tease

myPerspectives 9.1

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"My Superpowers"

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"Ode on a Grecian Urn" by John Keats

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