tan

verb

ˈtan How to pronounce tan (audio)
Definition of tannext
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

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.
Recent Examples of tan But will the new ingredient win the trust of Make America Healthy Again skeptics and Gen Zers intentionally tanning? — Michael Scaturro, Miami Herald, 15 June 2026 Tanning beds are not a safer option than tanning outside. — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 12 June 2026 The agency charged that Mercola and his companies claimed the tanning systems were safe and that research showed that indoor tanning doesn’t raise the risk of melanoma, a type of skin cancer. — Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 12 June 2026 There’s a sense of summer ease; both are tanned, dressed in casual black tops and trousers, sandals on. — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tan
  1. leather
  2. lick
  3. whip
  4. hide
  5. slash
  6. pound
  7. lash
  8. pelt
Verb
  • There was lace everywhere and leather too.
    — Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • From Ikebana studios in Kyoto to leather workshops in Florence and tartan looms in Stirling, a growing number of trips now build entire itineraries around a single craft.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
Definition of leather
Verb
  • Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, admitted to licking the straw and returning it to the vending machine while recording the act for his online followers.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • That means no tasting cookie dough made with raw eggs, no licking brownie batter off the beaters, and no homemade Caesar dressing made with uncooked yolks.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 23 July 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • Lesnar whipped Femi into the steel ring steps shoulder-first, but Femi returned the favor.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors allege Williams and several other suspects held a victim against his will, pistol whipped him and stripped him of his belongings, Boyd said.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • But the takeaway shouldn’t be fear that the US government is hiding the ball.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Pickens County deputies are searching for a suspect caught on camera trying to use branches to hide their identity.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • The government alleged that federal agents feared for their safety that day and that protesters damaged property, including slashing tires.
    — Meg Anderson, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Due to federal funding cuts, universities have slashed the number of graduate students who receive financial support for their work.
    — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of slash
Verb
  • Eddie Williams was taking a merciless pounding against her planking as the sodden wreck heaved and rolled.
    — JAMES D. OXLEY, Outdoor Life, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Kelce spent the offseason pounding beers in VIP suites on the Eras Tour, married Taylor Swift in July, and expanded his media empire.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of pound
Verb
  • The president has responded to the MAGA criticism by lashing out repeatedly at dissenters, prompting Greene – once a top Trump supporter – not to run for reelection and Massie to lose his primary.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Beijing lashed out, restricting vital commerce and the flow of Chinese tourists on which Japan – the world’s fourth-largest economy – depends.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
Definition of lash
Verb
  • The episode feinted toward genuine rapprochement before yanking the rug out, leaving the Gang pelted with an industrial-grade indoor blizzard and then happily chucking rocks at passing trains, as was Mac and Charlie’s childhood tradition.
    — Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026
  • However, during the curtain call, outstanding — or maybe just good-looking — male actors are sometimes pelted with loose flowers by their admirers.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 20 July 2026
Definition of pelt

Browse Nearby Words

tams
tan
tandem
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Cite this Entry

“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tan

Nglish: Translation of tan for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tan

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