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
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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
It’s infused with vitamin E and red algae to brighten the skin, and has an instant tanning effect that works to blur areas of redness or sun spots.
—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 18 June 2025
Up to 12 people can be seated at the indoor dining table, but the outdoor area is equally spacious, encompassing a spacious pool, tanning decks, and fire pits.
—Kristine Hansen, Architectural Digest, 10 June 2025
Gone are the days of tanning oil and only a few brands of sun protection to choose from.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
And his overall persona — the classic affluent, tanned, liberal Californian — doesn’t exactly recommend him as the best candidate to carry the Rust Belt.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 18 June 2025
Up to 12 people can be seated at the indoor dining table, but the outdoor area is equally spacious, encompassing a spacious pool, tanning decks, and fire pits.
—Kristine Hansen, Architectural Digest, 10 June 2025
Gone are the days of tanning oil and only a few brands of sun protection to choose from.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
And his overall persona — the classic affluent, tanned, liberal Californian — doesn’t exactly recommend him as the best candidate to carry the Rust Belt.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tan
Verb
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In one particularly jarring example, under threat of being unplugged, Anthropic’s latest creation Claude 4 lashed back by blackmailing an engineer and threatened to reveal an extramarital affair.—
Thomas Urbain,
Fortune,
29 June 2025
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The president also lashed out at economists who predicted his administration’s tariffs could cause a recession.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Verb
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In the video, the mother dog stays close to her pup, licking him and standing over him protectively.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
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While her Nickelodeon and Disney peers have seemingly all had at least one major scandal to their names (ranging from incessant twerking and licking unpurchased donuts to near-fatal overdoses), Palmer’s celebrity was, in part, defined by her lack of verifiable scandals.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
25 June 2025
Verb
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The San Diego native whipped a low cross into the box, which both Adriana Leon and Ascanio narrowly missed.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
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Chelsea took the lead on 13 minutes when Neto raced away from deep inside the Flamengo half and opened his body before whipping the ball past Agustin Rossi.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Verb
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The palette is a unique blend of pink, tan, and hints of blue-green that add a subtle amount of color while still hiding dirt and debris.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
26 June 2025
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Weathered and bumpy, the wall hidden among the surplus clothing stores of the Fashion District was hardly the perfect canvas.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Underneath her coat, Witherspoon wore an ankle-length black skirt and leather round-toe boots.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2025
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Compare with the Met’s full-size cast, from 1985, and these miniatures cleave the collective anguish into distinct emotions — one figure seems mid-dance, one bored, another ecstatic — in a range of patinas, from dark chocolate to leather.—
Walker Mimms,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The left-hander got pounded a year ago and thumped again in his first taste of big-league action for eight runs in five innings against the Washington Nationals.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
26 June 2025
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Kamala Harris pounded Joe Biden over his stances on busing from the 1970s—a long-ago dispute that even became fodder for J.D. Vance in 2024.—
Andrew Yang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Verb
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With his next pitch, Vásquez fired it even more inside, pelting Ohtani’s right thigh with a 94 mph fastball.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
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Police in riot gear attempting to disperse crowds, pelting them with tear gas, flashbangs and rubber bullets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Norms are being shattered, aid budgets for the poorest and most vulnerable are being slashed, and for the first time in a generation, extreme poverty has been on the rise.—
Michael Sheldrick,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Trump also suggested that the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE — the cost-cutting division unpopular among Americans that Musk led before exiting the administration in late May — might consider slashing incentives that Musk’s companies receive from the U.S. government.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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