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.

I am now the older person the ads gently tease.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

So it goes with book clubs: Even if you don’t love what you’re reading, it can still offer something interesting to tease apart.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

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

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Eunhee would worry about whether her son was eating or sleeping enough, and tease him about how long his hair was growing.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Charlie’s been watching that nonstop, and Sneaky likes to tease that I’m really the one who keeps picking it.

From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist

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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