: 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
tiptoed; tiptoeing
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
: on or as if on tiptoe
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
Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Should that effort be unsuccessful, Reese will need to walk on tiptoes.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 July 2025
Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2025
Gina wants to run, not tiptoe, through the tulips, so off she, Heather and Tamra Judge run, arms outstretched like Maria von Trapp in an alpine meadow two countries to the east.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tiptoe
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Noun
Still, almost 30,000 people waited with sweat soaking their shirts, standing on tiptoe to get a glimpse of the men walking toward the center of the arena.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Should that effort be unsuccessful, Reese will need to walk on tiptoes.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 July 2025
Verb
Heritage added to its lead on its next possession when Weaver found receiver Lucas Sunwall deep for a 30-yard pass, tiptoeing the sideline before going out at the 1-yard line.
—Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2025
Gina wants to run, not tiptoe, through the tulips, so off she, Heather and Tamra Judge run, arms outstretched like Maria von Trapp in an alpine meadow two countries to the east.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tiptoe
Cite this Entry
“Tiptoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiptoe. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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