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
And while Isle of Paradise is best known for its tanning products, their body care is just as impressive.
—
Lily Wohlner, Allure, 22 Oct. 2025
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.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 18 Oct. 2025
For this reason, MycoWorks is making a major (and obvious) decision to shift its business model from growing mycelium to sourcing and tanning mycelium.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 17 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
See All Example Sentences for tanning
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.
Lily Wohlner, Allure, 22 Oct. 2025
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.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 18 Oct. 2025
For this reason, MycoWorks is making a major (and obvious) decision to shift its business model from growing mycelium to sourcing and tanning mycelium.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 17 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
See All Example Sentences for tanning
Cite this Entry
“Tanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanning. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
tanning
noun
tan·ning
ˈtan-iŋ 
: a browning of the skin by exposure to sun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share