ten

play

noun \ ˈten \

Definition of ten

1 :a number that is one more than nine — see Table of Numbers

2 :the 10th in a set or series

wears a ten

3 :something having 10 units or members

4 :a 10-dollar bill

5 :one deserving the highest rating; specifically :an exceptionally attractive person

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ten

adjective

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ten

pronoun, plural in construction

See ten defined for English-language learners

See ten defined for kids

Examples of ten in a Sentence

“What time is it” “It's ten.”
promised me that she would fix me up with a ten

Recent Examples of ten from the Web

That includes decades-old flood pumping stations along the Ohio River that protect tens of thousands of city residents and some crumbling sewer lines that date to the Civil War and occasionally collapse, creating dangerous sinkholes.

— james bruggers, The Courier-Journal, "Sewer line sinkhole swallows portion of E. Main Street, potentially closing it for weeks," 30 Aug. 2017
Even that closet staple, the cigarette trouser, can be tricky — what looks good on someone who’s five-ten might not work on a woman who is five-two.

— diana tsui, The Cut, "Yes, You Can Wear Wide-Leg Pants to Work," 16 Aug. 2017
Kyle Green kgreen@idahostatesman.com Fitting tens of thousands of visitors and residents in a three-square mile radius is a challenging proposition.

— michael katz, idahostatesman, "Tiny Weiser, Idaho, is an eclipse hot spot. Is it ready for 20,000-plus visitors?," 9 Aug. 2017
Meanwhile, evacuees languish in their tens of thousands in dirty camps.

— The Economist, "Winning the war with IS in the Philippines, but losing the peace," 20 July 2017
And legitimate or not, insurance generally doesn’t cover these treatments, which can cost several thousands of dollars, or even tens of thousands of dollars.

— bradley j. fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Baby Boomers turn to stem cells for help with painful joints," 17 July 2017
McCracken, the psychologist with the engaging smile, is one of tens of thousands of Floridians who are in a silent civil rights struggle in the nation’s third most populous state.

— steve bousquet, miamiherald, "Thousands of Florida felons wait decades to regain the right to vote," 13 July 2017
And yes, the lobster is fresh This weekend tens of thousands of lobster lovers will head to the waterfront in San Pedro for the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival.

— lisa beebe, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Port of L.A. Lobster Fest Is This Weekend in Case You’re Wondering What You’re Doing This Weekend," 10 July 2017
The overwhelming majority of the tens of thousands who took to the streets protested peacefully against the G-20 summit, demanding quicker action against global warming and more help for refugees.

— chicagotribune.com, "Activists riot against G-20 summit for 3rd night in Hamburg," 9 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ten.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ten

Middle English, from Old English tīene, from tīen, adjective, ten; akin to Old High German zehan ten, Latin decem, Greek deka

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

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ten Synonyms

Synonyms

babe [slang], cutie (or cutey), dish, dreamboat [slang], fox, glamour-puss, hottie, knockout, looker, showstopper, doll

Antonyms

dog

Related Words

beauty, eyeful, goddess, lovely, stunner; beefcake, hunk, stud, superstud; bimbette [slang], bimbo [slang], himbo

TEN Defined for English Language Learners

ten

play

noun

Definition of ten for English Language Learners

: the number 10
: the tenth in a set or series
: ten o'clock

TEN Defined for Kids

ten

play

adjective \ ˈten \

Definition of ten for Students

:being one more than nine

ten

noun

Definition of ten for Students

1 :one more than nine :two times five :10

2 :the tenth in a set or series

Medical Dictionary

TEN

abbreviation

medical Definition of TEN

toxic epidermal necrolysis

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