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
Relevance
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
Researchers found that tanning bed users were nearly three times as likely to develop melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer — compared to people who'd never tanned indoors.
—
Maria Godoy, NPR, 14 Dec. 2025
Some types of leather, such as raw or vegetable-tanned leather, should not be cleaned using standard methods and products.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025
Timberland says the Horween Dryden leather, which is tanned in the USA, is desirable for its unique character and soft hand feel.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 8 Nov. 2025
Each pair is made in the USA with leather tanned at SB Foot in Red Wing, Minnesota.
—Will Porter, Outside, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Maria Godoy, NPR, 14 Dec. 2025
Some types of leather, such as raw or vegetable-tanned leather, should not be cleaned using standard methods and products.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Dec. 2025
Timberland says the Horween Dryden leather, which is tanned in the USA, is desirable for its unique character and soft hand feel.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 8 Nov. 2025
Each pair is made in the USA with leather tanned at SB Foot in Red Wing, Minnesota.
—Will Porter, Outside, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tan
Verb
-
San Benito County Sheriff Eric Taylor took to social media Thursday to lash out at bystanders who record police encounters and critics of law enforcement, following a violent Wednesday crime spree that ended with a suspect dead and a police officer wounded.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
But the evidence suggests that people who rely on bursts of venting tend to stay angrier for longer, and are more likely to lash out aggressively.—
Will Barker,
TheWeek,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
-
England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Even then, though, leadership didn’t whip against the bill, which ultimately passed with seven Democrats voting in favor.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In an age when polarized politics have whipped extremists into a frenzy and disagreeing with someone’s views justifies physical assault among fringe elements, the assault on Omar is a new abysmal milestone of societal degradation.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Los Angeles Police Department won't enforce a California directive banning federal immigration agents from wearing masks or hiding their faces while conducting operations in the state.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
During the prohibition era, the cave used trap doors and movable brick walls to hide liquor from law enforcement.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
From penny loafers and tassel loafers to leather and suede variations, there are so many different iterations of the tried-and-true shoe that can fit seamlessly into your closet, no matter your personal style.—
Abby Morgan Lebet,
Glamour,
31 Dec. 2025
-
The brand sources leather exclusively from colder climates, where fibers tighten under temperature, ensuring structure without compromising fluidity.—
Skylar Mitchell,
Essence,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Russia has been pounding Ukraine's critical infrastructure, hoping to wear down public resistance to the war while leaving many around the country having to endure the dead of winter without heat.—
AAMER MADHANI AND SUSIE BLANN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
-
For now, however, the first part of the season mostly succeeds at balancing power dynamics and pulse-pounding romance, with a major assist from the warm and hot chemistry between season leads Luke Thompson and series newbie Yerin Ha.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Playing on tour with Elvis Costello, the Clash, and the Cars, they’d been pelted with shoes, coins, and even knives.—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Mason Lake, a photojournalist who has been exposed to various crowd-control tactics while covering protests in Portland, Oregon, said getting hit with pepper balls feels similar to being pelted with paintballs.—
Graham Hurley,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
On the day Ujlaky vanished, prosecutors alleged Dickey choked her by wrapping a ligature around her neck before raping her and slashing her throat, according to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The Kings were awarded a power play a minute later when Jacob Bernard-Docker was whistled for slashing, and the visitors didn’t waste the chance.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
