TEASE Synonyms: 166 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'tease' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of tease are annoy , harass , harry , pester , plague , and worry . While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath. // children teased the dog

Q: In what contexts can 'annoy' take the place of 'tease'?

While in some cases nearly identical to tease , annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks. // you're doing that just to annoy me

Q: When would 'harass' be a good substitute for 'tease'?

In some situations, the words harass and tease are roughly equivalent. However, harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power. // harassed on all sides by creditors

Q: When can 'harry' be used instead of 'tease'?

Although the words harry and tease have much in common, harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment. // the strikers had been harried by thugs

Q: Where would 'pester' be a reasonable alternative to 'tease'?

The synonyms pester and tease are sometimes interchangeable, but pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks. // constantly pestered with trivial complaints

Q: When might 'plague' be a better fit than 'tease'?

The words plague and tease can be used in similar contexts, but plague implies a painful and persistent affliction. // plagued all her life by poverty

Q: When is it sensible to use 'worry' instead of 'tease'?

The words worry and tease are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation. // pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

tease 1 of 2

noun

Definition of tease

as in teaser

a person who causes repeated emotional pain, distress, or annoyance to another she can be a very cruel tease when she happens upon an unpopular girl who is easily hurt

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in nuisance

one who is obnoxiously annoying my youngest brother is a complete tease, following me around everywhere and aping my every move

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tease

2 of 2

verb

ˈtēz

as in to joke

to make fun of in a good-natured way likes to tease her twin brother about his seemingly endless string of girlfriends

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to taunt

to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults grew up being teased because his parents were hog farmers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb tease contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of tease are annoy, harass, harry, pester, plague, and worry. While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.

children teased the dog

In what contexts can annoy take the place of tease?

While in some cases nearly identical to tease, annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.

you're doing that just to annoy me

When would harass be a good substitute for tease?

In some situations, the words harass and tease are roughly equivalent. However, harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.

harassed on all sides by creditors

When can harry be used instead of tease?

Although the words harry and tease have much in common, harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.

the strikers had been harried by thugs

Where would pester be a reasonable alternative to tease?

The synonyms pester and tease are sometimes interchangeable, but pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.

constantly pestered with trivial complaints

When might plague be a better fit than tease?

The words plague and tease can be used in similar contexts, but plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.

plagued all her life by poverty

When is it sensible to use worry instead of tease?

The words worry and tease are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.

pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of tease

Noun

A number of Reeves’ social media teases have included glimpses of snow. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 What begins as misjudgment, the official synopsis teases, spirals through human conflict into tragedy on a cosmic scale. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026

Verb

Netflix also teased that more Counterattack (aka Counterstrike) is coming. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026 Democrat Xavier Becerra vowed to lower healthcare costs for Californians and teased two new policies on energy and artificial intelligence. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tease

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tease

Noun

An underwhelming and nearly green-less teaser first dropped back in March to the enormous groans of Green Lantern faithful everywhere.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2026
In the short teaser shown at D23, Gosling’s pilot character Kade Auberon finds a young man playing with a star fighter jet that’s decommissioned but was known as the fastest ever built.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of teaser

Noun

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued at least 20 violation notices to Lineage for public nuisance.

— Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
On Thursday, a judge found Meta had created a public nuisance and ordered it to pay an additional $567 million and implement youth-safety measures.

— Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of nuisance

Verb

His gruff mechanic Cooter Davenport is introduced as a hell-raising, uncouth wild man, constantly taunting the authorities and flouting convention.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026
The woman is then shown on the ground as the person behind the camera continues to taunt her and appears to strike her again.

— Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of taunt

Noun

Unfortunately, the sound system problems that began during the Romantics set (and would actually continue during Toto’s performance) hit their height of annoyance while Cross was on the stage.

— Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
Seat switchers—passengers who ask to switch seats—also made the list as the top annoyance for 20 percent of respondents.

— Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of annoyance

Verb

What everyday skills should kids practice before the first week of school?

— Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
Running under the surface of the film is the anxiety that kids his age are lucky to secure any job, even one as low-paying and exploitative as Erika’s studio assistant.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

Definition of kid

Noun

Red is immediately abducted, cut open in an ambulance, and injected with pain-magnifying drugs by his torturers, while Liz accidentally murders the mysterious man surveilling her next door.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
Aaron escapes his torturers, first by rooting himself in the town’s only movie theater open to Black people, and then by lying about his age and enlisting in the Navy at 16.

— Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

Definition of torturer

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“Tease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tease. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of tease

noun

verb

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