: a secret society or fraternal organization especially of Chinese in the U.S. formerly notorious for gang warfare
tonged; tonging; tongs
: to take, gather, hold, or handle with tongs
tong oysters
: to use tongs especially in taking or gathering something
Examples of tong in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
There was no manager on site during the first part of the inspection, food debris was found on several of the tongs and knives and a spray bottle wasn’t labeled.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2020
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Noun
Carefully add tofu slabs to hot oil; fry until crispy and golden brown, 5-7 minutes, using tongs to flip tofu halfway through cook time.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
There was no manager on site during the first part of the inspection, food debris was found on several of the tongs and knives and a spray bottle wasn’t labeled.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
Verb
His business is quite a bit different from that of traditional watermen, who tong the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for wild oysters.
—Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2020
See All Example Sentences for tong
Cite this Entry
“Tong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tong. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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