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
Tessum, 36, tall, lean, and tanned, already has two world records for trips to the North Pole.
—
Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026
Her privileged best friend, coming off an unsatisfying nose job, takes the drug and shows up the next day blonde, tanned and ready for the runway.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Tall and tanned, the Portland native moved to Palm Springs, yes, during the pandemic.
—Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
If carefully tanned, well made, and properly cared for, a real fur hat or coat should last for decades.
—Skye Goode, Outdoor Life, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tan
Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026
Her privileged best friend, coming off an unsatisfying nose job, takes the drug and shows up the next day blonde, tanned and ready for the runway.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Tall and tanned, the Portland native moved to Palm Springs, yes, during the pandemic.
—Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
If carefully tanned, well made, and properly cared for, a real fur hat or coat should last for decades.
—Skye Goode, Outdoor Life, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tan
Verb
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Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Carlson — and other right-wing influencers — in recent months who have become disenchanted with the president.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
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Trump lashed out at them and Tucker in a long, rambling social media post earlier this month.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There’s Cassie licking a melting ice cream cone as the ice cream drips down her bare chest.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
20 Apr. 2026
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Other players use wet towels or even lick their hands and wipe the bottom of their shoes to get more grip.—
Max Scheinblum,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Read on to discover what the chefs will be whipping us this year at Culinary Masters.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
24 Apr. 2026
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In a video obtained by WBZ, Nguyen can be seen sitting on the side of the mountain as the wind whipped around him.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After school, the siblings liked to climb in a willow that was in front of their home, hiding from their parents beneath the sweep of its branches.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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Every statistic about patient safety hides a human story.—
Joe Kiani,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The main space includes a custom kitchen with an induction Verona stove, leathered granite counters and a large copper farmhouse sink.—
Kaitlyn Keegan,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
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Inside, the home features 10-foot coffered ceilings, white oak floors, and a kitchen with a La Cornue range and light leathered marble countertops.—
BusinessDen,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The updraft knifed through the building, whose inhabitants were already suffering without heat or power for much of the winter as Russia pounded Ukraine’s energy system.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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There’s a sense of surrender in the way this tune eroticizes total passivity, giving up control, just letting your feelings pound you to a bloody pulp.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But it was scheduled on a day when snow pelted the procession — over an 8-mile journey that students walk from Robb Street near Simms Street and West Colfax into downtown Denver.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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Not so much because Paul puts on-again, off-again partner Dakota Mortensen into a headlock and then pelts him with metal bar stools — sadly, this is a scene that would not be out of place on many reality shows — but because a small child is in the room.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Although the state of emergency has slashed El Salvador’s homicide rate, authorities have arrested over 91,000 people, with human rights groups documenting thousands of wrongful detentions.—
Marcos Aleman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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European airlines have already slashed short haul capacity for April and May, with the region’s ‘big three’ network carriers — Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, and IAG — also cutting transatlantic capacity, Bank of America analysis shows.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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