teasing

[ tee-zing ]

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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

1. 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.

Other Words From

• teas·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of teasing¹

First recorded in 1585–95; teas(e) ( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses; teas(e) ( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

How was it like teasing out that scene?

From Los Angeles Times

Fans speculated the post was teasing the band’s scrapped album “The Paper Kingdom.”

From Los Angeles Times

Earlier this summer, Netflix began teasing that it had landed a documentary about Martha Stewart which promised to offer a wholly unique look at the domestic mogul who is known for her carefully curated image.

From Salon

But teasing out the effect of a single storm on consumer prices is not only exceedingly difficult, it requires many years of research, Lee warned.

From Salon

"From now till the album drops on October 25th, I will be impersonating a different icon every day and teasing a snippet of the song they inspired."

From Salon

Related Words

• irritating
• joking
• mocking