1
as in parody
a work that imitates and exaggerates another work for comic effect
the movie is a rib of the "dramatic love story" that was so popular in the 1950s
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
began to lose his sense of humor after being the butt of his friends' ribs once too often
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rib
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025
The adults in the pack bring meat back to the den, either in pieces (a leg, a rib) or as offerings carried home in the belly that can be regurgitated.
—Helen Whybrow
july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
How did Schroeder end up posing for a bronze statue for the 1984 Games and enduring ribbing from teammates that goes on even now?
—Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rib
Noun
In 1993, for example, crews building Denver’s professional baseball stadium discovered a four-inch rib and some bone fragments, which gave rise to the Colorado Rockies’ mascot, Dinger the dinosaur.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025
The adults in the pack bring meat back to the den, either in pieces (a leg, a rib) or as offerings carried home in the belly that can be regurgitated.
—Helen Whybrow
july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
Verb
Anderson gets ribbed on the show by fellow contestants for his relative lack of experience in barbecue.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
How did Schroeder end up posing for a bronze statue for the 1984 Games and enduring ribbing from teammates that goes on even now?
—Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rib
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rib
Noun
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Bud Light plans to run a parody of the series, which gives fans up-close looks at the seasons of top NFL quarterbacks, via social media.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 July 2025
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His mask is a stitched thing — lipless, white, eerily smooth yet rugged — a grim parody of life.—
Daphne Woolsoncroft,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
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And beyond the viral jokes littering Palmer’s comments are thousands of seemingly serious comments calling her video just an example of how leaning into feminine roles can be self care.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 July 2025
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The jokes about alligators attacking immigrants while in detention have been casually tossed around by President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis and conservative and far-right influencers.—
Raisa Habersham,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Verb
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After teasing a trek earlier this week, Paul McCartney has revealed that his Got Back Tour will return to North America this fall, the Beatles legend’s first tour stateside in four years.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
10 July 2025
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The first step is a boot camp in a mountainous ski resort, where Karolina is teased by the other girls and gets so much preferential treatment from Vitek that Lucie, enraged, locks her outside in the snow and nearly kills her in the process.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Following the success of 1980 spoof film Airplane!, which made $78 million at the box office ($214 million today) co-directors David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker hoped to make a similar comedy about police officers inspired by the 1950s Lee Marvin drama series M Squad.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
13 July 2025
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The actress hosted a cookout with Bounty on June 25 in Los Angeles, and there, and shared her barbecue essentials and favorite scene from the spoof with PEOPLE. Hall, 54, has positive memories of working with Keenan Ivory Wayans for the first time on the set of the 2000 classic.—
Angelina Liu,
People.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
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The two had several tough plays against one another, and shared plenty of laughs on the court.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
11 July 2025
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During the day out, the two took a dip in the pool and appeared to share laughs throughout the day.—
Starr Bowenbank,
People.com,
11 July 2025
Verb
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For the most part, though, these tools have been aimed at parents or educators, not kids themselves.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
14 July 2025
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Apparently Brooks Nader wasn’t kidding about that, because on July 8 she was spotted freeing the nipple in a sheer black top on a dinner date with friend Lauren Sanchez in Paris, per photos published by the Daily Mail.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Earlier, during his days with Monty Python, Gilliam co-wrote biblical black comedy The Life of Brian, whose themes of religious satire drew accusations of blasphemy and protests.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
7 July 2025
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The logline portends a comedy, possibly a parody, even a satire.—
Robert Lloyd,
Twin Cities,
3 July 2025
Noun
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There were also yaks, deer, buffalo, camels, a kangaroo, ostriches, eight monkeys, six raccoons, two grizzly bears, black bears, brown bears, seals, lions, an old tiger, a blind hyena, a circus elephant, an alligator and 400 birds, including a talking crow.—
Jeff Suess,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
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More than 500 of them, in fact, from native whitetail deer to yaks, scimitar oryx, and water buffalo.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rib.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rib. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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