tease

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "tease" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as a verb (to joke with someone playfully) or a noun (a person who jokes in this manner). Example: My friends like to tease me about my love of cats.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Music

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Interviews occurred on stage with a range of campaign volunteers to tease out why they joined V4I and their experience of it.

The Guardian

We tease them into thought, provoke them into action and when we see their inner spark we seek it out, and make them realise that creativity and diversity are things to be celebrated.

The Guardian

Don't tease it, don't disturb it and it won't attack you".

The Guardian

The series is going back to childhood to tease out where the street players have come from and why they ended up the way they did.

The Guardian

Use a pencil to help tease out the tip of the triangle into a sharp point.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Four months ago, the Guardian teamed up with five other papers from the largest EU countries to investigate the European predicament and seek to tease out solutions.

The Guardian

He also had to talk a lot about the use of dramatic pauses in his songs; moments where the keys or the beat would hesitate or halt altogether, a tease that cunningly drew the listener in.

The Guardian - Music

"How do you tease apart the effect of the vaping from the smoking?" West believes we have to rely instead on the products' toxicological profile.

The Guardian

The cropping of John Travolta right below his hairline is the biggest tease.

The Guardian - Film

Some say Versailles should not even be showing contemporary art – and its previous programme featuring the likes of Jeff Koons and Takashi Murakami has gone out of its way to tease conservative sensibilities, as if trying to drive the entire French cultural right to an early grave.

The Guardian - Arts

There are the women who extend their overdrafts for the gowns made of swans, who weld half a metre of hair to their scalps and tease it into the shape of a palace, and then there are the rest of us, rolling our eyes on the internet.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "tease out", ensure clarity by specifying what is being extracted or revealed through careful examination or questioning.

Common error

Avoid using "tease" when a stronger term like "taunt" or "bully" is more appropriate. "Tease" implies a level of playfulness, while those terms suggest malicious intent.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "tease" is as a verb, denoting the action of playfully provoking or making fun of someone. It can also function as a noun, referring to someone who teases. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is commonly used in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Lifestyle

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tease" is a versatile word commonly used as both a verb and a noun. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and wide applicability. It is frequently found in News & Media and Lifestyle contexts, and its usage spans from playful banter to skillful extraction of information as the phrasal verb "tease out". While generally neutral in register, it's essential to avoid confusing "tease" with stronger, more aggressive terms. Remember to consider the context and audience to ensure the appropriateness of your word choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

kid

Informal term for teasing or joking with someone.

rib

Indicates friendly and lighthearted teasing.

tantalize

To tease or torment by presenting something desirable but keeping it out of reach.

rag

Similar to 'rib', implying playful and often repeated teasing.

taunt

Implies a more aggressive and malicious form of teasing.

bait

Suggests provoking someone with teasing or taunts.

badger

Suggests persistent and annoying teasing or harassment.

chaff

Implies playful and good-natured teasing or banter.

mock

Involves ridicule and imitation, often in a humorous or critical way.

jest

Refers to joking or playful teasing, sometimes in a formal context.

FAQs

How can I use "tease" in a sentence?

You can use "tease" as a verb, meaning to playfully make fun of someone, or as a noun, referring to the act of teasing or someone who teases. For example, "My friends like to tease me about my cooking" or "He's such a tease, always joking around".

What are some synonyms for "tease"?

Depending on the context, you can use synonyms like "taunt", "rib", "mock", or "badger". Each carries slightly different connotations of playfulness or malice.

What does it mean to "tease out" information?

To "tease out" information means to carefully extract or reveal it through skillful questioning or investigation. It suggests a gradual and deliberate process. For example, "The interviewer tried to tease out the details of the scandal".

Is it ever appropriate to use "tease" in formal writing?

While "tease" is generally informal, "tease out" can be used in more formal contexts, particularly in academic or analytical writing, to describe uncovering complex information. The appropriateness depends heavily on the overall tone and audience.