tiptoe

1 of 4

noun

tip·​toe ˈtip-ˌtō How to pronounce tiptoe (audio)
-ˈtō
: 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

tiptoe

2 of 4

verb

tiptoed; tiptoeing

intransitive verb

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

tiptoe

3 of 4

adverb

: on or as if on tiptoe

tiptoe

4 of 4

adjective

1
: standing or walking on or as if on tiptoe
2
Phrases
on tiptoe
: alert, aroused
the contest of skill that puts one on tiptoe to winDeerfield (Wisc.) Independent

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
Noun
Several scenes in El Conde tiptoe into this terrain. Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024 But even that 50 seemed only a timid tiptoe into the thermal world beyond the middle- and upper-40s, where readings had mainly resided throughout the hours from just after midnight to well past sunset. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2023 And so the show walks on tiptoe, like a Lady in Waiting reluctant to wake up her sovereign. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023 No one is born with the ability to ride a skateboard, surf or even stand on their tiptoes. Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2023 In the pic, the gymnast stood on tiptoes as the couple embraced. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2023 The Barbie movie press rollout has been packed with plenty of memorable moments, but none has been more internet-breaking than the very first glimpse of Margot Robbie stepping out of Barbie's shoes on tiptoe with perfectly arched feet. Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 18 July 2023 To recreate a now iconic scene in the Barbie movie, some TikTokers are attempting to step out of high heels, walk on tiptoes, and maintain their feet in an arched position. Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 28 July 2023 Explosively raise up onto your tiptoes, lifting the med ball high and throwing your arms over your shoulders. David Otey, Men's Health, 20 July 2023
Verb
The best gag comes when Po tiptoes through a rooftop of napping Komodo dragons, desperate to stay quiet. Amy Nicholson, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Cowed by his own backpack, Alejandro tiptoes through America timidly, afraid to announce himself. Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 State Street already has a similar program underway, and Vanguard is tiptoeing into this kind of voting choice, too. Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Morris, though, did a lot of the work, taking the ball to the house after tiptoeing down the sidelines and extending the ball just over the pylon. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2024 On third-and-5 from the 9-yard line, Jared Goff found a wide-open Reynolds in the back of the end zone, who corralled the high pass and tiptoed along the boundary for the touchdown. Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 21 Jan. 2024 SpaceX will need to tiptoe through this elaborate orbital choreography at least once before Artemis III proceeds. Michael Greshko, Scientific American, 18 Jan. 2024 In recent weeks, people around the world have been celebrating the season of Halloween—dressing up, taking part in parades and festivals, hosting parties, and tiptoeing through haunted houses. Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2023 Boeing is starting to tiptoe back into the market: The manufacturer delivered its first plane in over four years to a Chinese airline last December. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 18 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1661, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adverb

1592, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near tiptoe

Cite this Entry

“Tiptoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiptoe. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tiptoe

1 of 3 noun
tip·​toe ˈtip-ˌtō How to pronounce tiptoe (audio)
-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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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