tiptoe

1 of 4

noun

tip·​toe ˈtip-ˌtō 

-ˈtō

: the position of being balanced on the balls of the feet and toes with the heels raised

—usually used with on

also : the ends of the toes

see also:

on tiptoe

tiptoe

2 of 4

verb

tiptoed; tiptoeing

intransitive verb

1

: to walk or proceed quietly or cautiously on or as if on tiptoe

tiptoe around the issue

2

: to stand or raise oneself on tiptoe

tiptoe

3 of 4

adverb

: on or as if on tiptoe

tiptoe

4 of 4

adjective

1

: standing or walking on or as if on tiptoe

2

: cautious, stealthy

Examples of tiptoe in a Sentence

Verb

She tiptoed through the puddle.

He tiptoed quietly around the house to avoid waking the children.

Adverb

She had to stand tiptoe to reach the shelf.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Stroud kept the drive alive on third-and-11 escaping All-Pro tackle Jeffery Simmons to find Kayshon Boutte for a tiptoe-catch on the sideline for 23 yards. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Charlotte had to stand on her tiptoes to see over the counter. — Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Verb

Some Republicans facing tough elections have begun tiptoeing away from the president on key issues such as Iran and tariffs, but not Sullivan, who has been vocal in supporting both. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

In the TikTok, the sisters committed fully to their pretend covert operation, tiptoeing out of the house in their pajamas before making a run for the car. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1661, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adverb

1592, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tiptoe

• on tiptoe
• tiptoe around

Rhymes for tiptoe

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

tiptoe

1 of 3 noun

tip·​toe ˈtip-ˌtō 

-ˈtō

1

: the tip of a toe

2

: the ends of the toes

tiptoe

2 of 3 adverb or adjective

: on or as if on tiptoe

tiptoe

3 of 3 verb

tiptoed; tiptoeing

: to walk on tiptoe