tingle

1 of 2

verb

tin·​gle ˈtiŋ-gəl How to pronounce tingle (audio)
tingled; tingling ˈtiŋ-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce tingle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to feel a ringing, stinging, prickling, or thrilling sensation
b
: to cause such a sensation
2
tinglingly adverb
tingly adjective

tingle

2 of 2

noun

plural tingles
: a tingling sensation : a usually slight ringing, stinging, prickling, or thrilling sensation
She felt a tingle of excitement/anticipation.
It offers the palate-pleasing tingle of a bubbly soda with a much-simplified ingredient list of often nothing more than water and carbonation.Chelsey Dulaney
Soon my thinking cleared up, but the surges renewed—pain, and a frisson of electricity around the eye, into the cheek, a vague tingle.Sallie Tisdale

Examples of tingle in a Sentence

Verb My arm was numb and tingling. awoke to the steady pitter-patter of raindrops tingling on the rooftop
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The survey found that less than half of Americans know that numbness or tingling, blinking rapidly, crying out or screaming, and laughing are signs of a seizure as well. Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 16 Nov. 2023 John Mayer’s and Ed Sheeran’s Spidey-Senses must have been tingling. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2023 Feet tingled, fingers pulsed, capillaries dilated and danced. Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023 The moons alignment with Jupiter has your spidey-senses tingling. USA TODAY, 8 Aug. 2023 People may experience a tingling sensation in the affected area before a breakout. Health Editorial Team, Health, 30 Oct. 2023 Chills can manifest as a tingling sensation, shivers, or goosebumps. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Oct. 2023 While flushing is generally harmless and temporary, it can sometimes be accompanied by feelings of warmth or tingling sensations. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Oct. 2023 Symptoms can include hives, rashes, tingling, itchiness or swelling in the mouth, abdominal cramps, or wheezing. Ashia Aubourg, SELF, 6 Oct. 2023
Noun
Sometimes, people find ASMR annoying or can share feelings of calm and relaxation from videos without feeling the tingles. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 13 Oct. 2023 Both carry the peculiar tingle of the familiar, and most of the time either will do. Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023 The essay, which begins with him noticing the beauty of a woman who is not his wife—a courageous admission that made my spine tingle—serves as a bracing tonic that reminds us not everything superficial is shallow. WIRED, 25 Sep. 2023 Without adding a tint or shine, the product was almost undetectable, except for the subtle but pleasant tingle, and the feeling of soft lips throughout the day. Rachael Schultz, Health, 12 Apr. 2023 The tactile experience generates something close to ASMR tingles. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 10 July 2023 In the first couple of films (his five-film run suffered from wildly diminishing returns), there was a certain sensory satisfaction in all that was shiny and chrome, the clicks and whirs of metallic pieces sliding into place with an almost ASMR-like tingle. Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2023 There are people — this critic included — who will watch this scene and immediately sense with a hungry tingle that the film to come has been made expressly for their palate, and there is everyone else. Guy Lodge, Variety, 24 May 2023 There’s also a hint of minty tingle that felt so refreshing and soothing. Megan Decker, refinery29.com, 23 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tingle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, alteration of tinklen to tinkle, tingle

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tingle was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tingle

Cite this Entry

“Tingle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tingle. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

tingle

verb
tin·​gle ˈtiŋ-gəl How to pronounce tingle (audio)
tingled; tingling ˈtiŋ-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce tingle (audio)
: to feel or cause a prickling or thrilling sensation
tingle noun
tingly adjective

Medical Definition

tingle

intransitive verb
tin·​gle ˈtiŋ-gəl How to pronounce tingle (audio)
tingled; tingling -g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce tingle (audio)
: to feel a stinging or prickling sensation
tingle noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tingle

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