tut-tut

1 of 2

interjection

 two alveolar or dental clicks  ;
often read as
ˈtət-ˈtət How to pronounce tut-tut (audio)
: tut

tut-tut

2 of 2

verb

tut-tutted; tut-tutting

intransitive verb

: to express disapproval or disbelief by or as if by uttering tut
editorialists tut-tutted over the recent congressional scandal

Examples of tut-tut in a Sentence

Verb ever since the invention of talkies, someone or other has been tut-tutting about the bad language heard in movies
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Interjection
There’s no need for Smith’s longtime fans—even for those who have loved her since the 1960s—to tut-tut about the fact that her later roles brought her the greatest fame. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 27 Sep. 2024 The rest of the parents, who are mostly millennials, tut-tut their disapproval, and talk about how badly they’ve been triggered. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 19 Oct. 2023 Yet strategic convergence there does not mean everywhere: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its year-long war has elicited a tepid tut-tut from New Delhi, while India has escalated its purchases of cheap Russian oil at a time Washington seeks to isolate Moscow. Alyssa Ayres, Time, 21 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Interjection

1566, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tut-tut was in 1566

Dictionary Entries Near tut-tut

Cite this Entry

“Tut-tut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tut-tut. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

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