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
While all of their leather comes from U.S. sources, some is tanned in Japan and then reimported to the U.S.
—
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2025
Especially when that someone else is tanned, beautiful, and regularly gifted Westman Atelier contour sticks?
—Morgan Sullivan, Vogue, 31 July 2025
Dom Amore: Geno Auriemma is tanned, rested, reloaded to get UConn women a baker’s dozen
Geno Auriemma has been mostly out of sight since the UConn women won the championship.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2025
But using tanning products isn't unusual, in fact, many people opt against sunbathing to prevent their skin cancer risk.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2025
Especially when that someone else is tanned, beautiful, and regularly gifted Westman Atelier contour sticks?
—Morgan Sullivan, Vogue, 31 July 2025
Dom Amore: Geno Auriemma is tanned, rested, reloaded to get UConn women a baker’s dozen
Geno Auriemma has been mostly out of sight since the UConn women won the championship.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2025
But using tanning products isn't unusual, in fact, many people opt against sunbathing to prevent their skin cancer risk.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tan
Verb
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Then, there’s the one about the two Asian guys who are harnessed to a chariot and made to pull it along, like horses, with bits in their mouths, while this other Asian guy, holding the reins, lashes them with a whip.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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The president has frequently lashed out at celebrities who have spoken out against him, recently including the likes of Taylor Swift, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Common symptoms include excessive scratching, licking, ear infections, and digestive issues.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
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The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His best friend’s little sister sets out to whip him back into shape.—
Tessa Bailey,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Boaters were the last to be warned to watch the sky as a line of wind-whipping storms pushed out to sea.—
Joe Dwinell,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In corroborating much of the testimony Pentagon intelligence official David Grusch offered in July 2023, Elizondo also accused the Department of Defense of hiding its UFO programs from Congress while misappropriating funds to operate them.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Coel, the boundary-pushing revelation from I May Destroy You, is a perfect foil, hiding Lori’s feelings behind her deadpan delivery, unblinking sphinx-like stare and wary body language but poised to shoot barbs when the moment calls for them.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Heeled, bubbled, square-toed, strapped or leathered out with metal accents like Longoria’s, the shape is proving its range.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
6 Aug. 2025
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Lucy Bronze’s icon status was reaffirmed throughout England’s 2025 European Championship-winning campaign — from strapping up her own leg in extra time to her absolutely leathering home a penalty in the quarter-final shootout win against Sweden.—
Ali Rampling,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
Verb
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The rain pounded so hard Friday afternoon that Aventura police closed a portion of Biscayne Boulevard from 191st Street to 29th Avenue, near Aventura Mall, due to road flooding.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
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TikTok videos often feature variations where pranksters pound on or kick people’s front doors.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Gitschlag, like the racers and many of the spectators, was pelted mercilously as squirt guns and water balloons created a crossfire across Campau.—
M.L. Elrick,
Freep.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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New video shows the drive-by and the house pelted by bullets.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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On the other hand, Democrats have worked to nationalize the race by tying Earle-Sears to Trump and his efforts to slash the federal workforce.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Sep. 2025
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The deadly shooting occurred on a street in the Brownsville section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn near the 73rd Precinct station house, where the suspect slashed an officer with a knife that authorities said had a 14-inch blade, according to police.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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