spray tan

noun

plural spray tans
: a simulated suntan produced by darkening the skin with a sprayed-on chemical preparation
There's no doubt that, when choosing between a spray tan and actual tanning, the former is a much safer way to achieve a summer glow.Zoë Weiner
Someone gave me a gift certificate for a spray tan a few years ago. It left me golden brown with a just a hint of orange, but had an unpleasant odor to it.Lori Borgman
also : the chemical preparation used to produce a spray tan
Pantyhose are making a comeback! … We might have Kate Middleton to thank for that, or women could have just gotten really tired of applying spray tan to their legs during winter. Jennifer Wright

Examples of spray tan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The pair play a brother and sister duo who are setting up a spray tan business in Sydney, before becoming entangled in the city’s violent underworld. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025 One such option is a spray tan tattoo. Melissa Willets, Parents, 21 Aug. 2025 In the Vogue video, Emma also poked fun at her spray tan. Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025 Self-tanning lotions, spray tans, and bronzers proliferated, but people still sought the real thing. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 19 July 2025 Liv goes on about how Kaylor had a spray tan booked the night of the boyfriend-birthday-party-snub saga. Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 18 July 2025 Go ahead and try, King Joffrey with a tangerine spray tan. Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 14 July 2025 Advertisement In the series, Megan points out that the cheerleaders get some services like hair styling and spray tans, as part of the job. Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 18 June 2025 In the clip, Frankel rocked a variety of skimpy-meets-stunning styles, accessorized by hair extensions, a spray tan and killer abs. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spray tan was in 1950

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Cite this Entry

“Spray tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spray%20tan. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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