tanning

noun

tan·​ning ˈta-niŋ 

1

: a browning of the skin especially by exposure to sun

2

: the art or process by which a skin is tanned

3

: a sound spanking

4

: a natural darkening and hardening of the cuticle of an insect immediately after molting

Examples of tanning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At a tannery, the raw animal hide goes through a series of chemical and mechanical treatments to remove hair, fat and flesh before a tanning agent is added to the hide to prevent it from decaying. —Mars King, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025

Announced Monday, Thumann will be the first official global ambassador and investor for the sunless tanning brand, which launched in 2024 as a more affordable alternative to Alysa’s high-end line, Dolce Glow, praised by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2025

Princess Diana often avoided tights, using tanning oil instead. —Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025

Initially, a portion of the bridesmaids complied to the demand without complaint and went to their local tanning salon. —Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing tanning

• tanning bed
• tanning booth

Rhymes for tanning

• panning
• planing
• planning
• scanning
• spanning
• preplanning
• replanning
• scintiscanning

Kids Definition

tanning

noun

tan·​ning

ˈtan-iŋ

1

: the art or process by which an animal skin is tanned

2

: a browning of the skin especially by exposure to the sun

3

: a usually severe whipping

Medical Definition

tanning

noun

tan·​ning ˈtan-iŋ 

: a browning of the skin by exposure to sun