1
as in to hide
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
Besides writing book, Stevens has launched a tanning product line that grossed $1 million its first year and has a TikTok following of nearly 500K.
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Mario Paredes will never forget studying literature under Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the future Pope Francis, in Buenos Aires.
—
Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2025
How To Apply Bronzing Drops How do bronzing drops differ from tanning drops?
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 21 Apr. 2025
These days, teens know that bed tanning is dangerous for your skin and choose to self-tan with a product or spray-tan instead—much smarter!1
Prom pashminas.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 11 Apr. 2025
So if sunscreen alone can't prevent you from tanning, what will?
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2025
How To Apply Bronzing Drops How do bronzing drops differ from tanning drops?
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 21 Apr. 2025
These days, teens know that bed tanning is dangerous for your skin and choose to self-tan with a product or spray-tan instead—much smarter!1
Prom pashminas.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 11 Apr. 2025
So if sunscreen alone can't prevent you from tanning, what will?
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tan
Verb
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At 19, Johnson married his wife Daphne and initially, was able to hide his drug use from her, the Johnson's clemency petition said.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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This navy/stone style is one person’s solution to hiding their two dogs’ dark-colored fur.—
Ali Faccenda,
People.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Fundraising craters, and both tech and blockchain are left licking their wounds.—
Tomer Warschauer Nuni,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
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To stop their younger golden retriever Cooper from licking his ears, Tucker had a medical cone.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 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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Thirty minutes later, Combs was pounding on the apartment door with a hammer, Morgan said.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
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Ahead of the Europa League semi-final, Postecoglou spoke to his players about the Stonecutter’s Credo (also known as pounding the rock), an allegory for persistence even when progress may not be visible.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Appropriately, those flags whipped atop the Hall of Fame building on a particularly windy Friday, hours before a 40-year ceremony for the 1985 team and a day prior to a 10-year reunion for the 2015 team.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
17 May 2025
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Made with 92 percent natural ingredients, the gentle, sulfate-free shampoo is whipped with tea tree and peppermint oils, which help create a healthy pH balance on the scalp and smell like a spa.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
17 May 2025
Verb
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As judges have ruled against the Trump administration, the president and his allies have lashed out in response, suggesting judges should not be allowed to constrain Trump's presidential actions and calling for judges to be impeached.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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The Journal’s editorial page has weighed in multiple times against Trump’s tariffs, and the president has in turn lashed out at the publication.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
8 May 2025
Verb
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The result is a leaner, more transparent value chain that slashes transit times, anchors skilled jobs at home, and gives automakers, wind-turbine producers, battery materials manufacturers, and aerospace primes a domestic alternative to long-distance supply lines.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
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Read Next State Politics Plan to slash property taxes passes Idaho House.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
15 May 2025
Verb
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In the past, he has been doused with a milkshake and pelted with cement on the campaign trail.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2025
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Janai Mathis and Ariana Gonzalez both drove in three runs while Amari Broughton pelted a home run for the Golden Lions, who scored the game's first eight runs and notched their first victory of the season.—
Erick Taylor,
arkansasonline.com,
15 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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