: characterized by insincerity, irony, or whimsical exaggeration
: with insincerity, irony, or whimsical exaggeration
Examples of tongue-in-cheek in a Sentence
Adverb
The whole interview was done tongue in cheek.
Recent Examples on the Web
Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2026
But as Johnson celebrated the tongue-in-cheek jab at ICE, a heckler shouted behind a row of television cameras.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
It’s being conceived as a PG-13 with tongue in cheek, per the movie’s meta title.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tongue-in-cheek
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Adjective
Founded in 2014 by Collin James and Brandon Veloria, the focus is on fun and tongue-in-cheek fashion from designers from the ’90s and ’00s.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2026
But as Johnson celebrated the tongue-in-cheek jab at ICE, a heckler shouted behind a row of television cameras.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Adverb
The work is light and dark, solid and liquid, empty and busy, earnest and tongue in cheek.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
It’s being conceived as a PG-13 with tongue in cheek, per the movie’s meta title.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tongue-in-cheek
Cite this Entry
“Tongue-in-cheek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tongue-in-cheek. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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