1
as in to lash
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
Grandpa told us that when he was a kid, if he misbehaved at all, his father would tan his backside with a belt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
a time when children were routinely tanned for misbehavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tan
The show quickly gained a massive following, showcasing the glamorous side of the tanning industry and Southern California lifestyle.
—
Devin Haman, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The resulting leather sheets are tanned using natural vegetable processes.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 10 Sep. 2025
Red Antler processed the meat for him, the hide is being tanned, and the skull mounted.
—Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
Use self-tanners instead of tanning outside or using a tanning bed.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Devin Haman, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The resulting leather sheets are tanned using natural vegetable processes.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 10 Sep. 2025
Red Antler processed the meat for him, the hide is being tanned, and the skull mounted.
—Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
Use self-tanners instead of tanning outside or using a tanning bed.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tan
Verb
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Picking sweet Julie mangoes from the big tree in the front yard of my childhood home; going to the beach where my late brother tried (and failed) to teach me to swim; visiting relatives during the summer in the very areas that were now being lashed by rain and wind.—
Grace White,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
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LogoPowered byScale logo Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record, is slowly cutting through the Caribbean, soaking and lashing those in its path with torrential rain and catastrophic winds.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Collins is no doubt licking his chops studying tape of another Patriots rookie, left guard Jared Wilson, who allowed two sacks last weekend.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
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Soon, orange-red flames began to lick the wall and the roof’s open eaves.—
Ingfei Chen,
New Yorker,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The photo of Chastain whipping off her jersey, shouting in triumph, her sinewy arms flexed, was immediately historic.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 Oct. 2025
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Leafs forward Dakota Joshua weaved through Buffalo’s defensive zone coverage without much resistance and then whipped an off-balance shot toward the net.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The top is detailed with faint lines that function to hide the appearance of wrinkles, while the viscose and polyester blend do the rest of the work to create a smooth, wearable shirt.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Oct. 2025
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Basil, of course, is far from perfect, a rude, neurotic, accident-prone manager who insults guests, hides his gambling winnings from his wife and organizes an elaborate impersonation of her when his surprise anniversary party backfires.—
Rhett Bartlett,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Laser Module – Add engraving and cutting capabilities for materials from wood and acrylic to leather.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Oct. 2025
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Mirrors have a patina, coffee tables are leathered and trunk-like.—
Elise Taylor,
Vogue,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And so the Jays did, piling up one quality at-bat after another, grinding down Snell, pounding the Dodgers’ suspect bullpen.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Its rain has already been pounding parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic for several days, flooding roadways and triggering landslides.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The difference now versus in past years isn’t just in the scale but the sophistication of threats pelted at companies and executives, said Matt Dumpert, a managing director who leads Kroll’s enterprise security risk practice.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
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First Amendment groups have accused federal authorities of carrying out excessive tactics, including pelting protesters and the media with tear gas and pepper balls.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Milei’s Odds Milei, elected in 2023 on a platform of radical libertarian reforms, has pushed austerity measures that have slashed public spending, ended central bank money printing and brought inflation down from 211 percent to roughly 32 percent in under a year.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
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Watching Michael Myers stalk and slash his way through the streets of Haddonfield is always a scary good time, but there's something about queuing up the Halloween movies in October that just hits different (especially on the namesake holiday itself).—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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