tantalize

Verb
US[tan-tuh-lahyz]/ˈtæntəˌlaɪz/3 syllablesalso [tan-uh-lahyz] /ˈtænəˌlaɪz/
Synonyms: teaserazzragcodtantalisebaittaunttwitrallyride

Open English WordNet

Verb (1)tantalized, tantalizing

  1. harass with persistent criticism or carping“The children teased the new teacher”“Don't ride me so hard over my failure”“His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie”Synonyms: teaserazzragcodtantalisebaittaunttwitrallyrideMore general mock, bemockMore specific jeer, kid

Related words snort noun

Word of the day · Nov 3About this word
incessantadjective

What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Tan′ta·lize transitive verb [past tense & past participle Tantalized; present participle & verbal noun Tantalizing.]

Origin: From Tantalus: cf. F. tantaliser.

To tease or torment by presenting some good to the view and exciting desire, but continually frustrating the expectations by keeping that good out of reach; to tease; to torment.

Thy vain desires, at strife Within themselves, have tantalized thy life.— John Dryden

Synonyms: To tease; vex; irritate; provoke. — Tantalize, Disappoint. To disappoint is literally to do away with what was (or was taken to be) appointed; hence the peculiar pain from hopes thus dashed to the ground. To tantalize, a much stronger term, describes a most distressing form of disappointment, as in the case of Tantalus, the Phrygian king. To tantalize is to visit with the bitterest disappointment — to torment by exciting hopes or expectations which can never be realized.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54

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