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

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 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
  • 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
  • The best restaurant sauces can tempt even the most prim and proper of us to lift up our plates and lick them clean.
    — Rochelle Bilow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 July 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • Iguanas usually go viral for other reasons Iguanas are usually quick-moving and run away from their would-be captors with their long tails whipping behind them.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 24 July 2026
  • The attorney questioned whether a person would be able to smell alcohol at the same time that wind generated by 18-wheelers and other vehicles whipping by on the highway was blowing, as was occurring during the officer’s time with Hampton.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • The tree in Athens isn’t likely to make it through the construction of a new $225 million courthouse, despite some interest in preserving the piece of history hiding in plain sight.
    — Cassidy Alexander, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • The tinkerer believes there is always another possibility hiding beneath the surface of failure.
    — Lintao "LT" Lu, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Without that off-ramp, builders would be forced to slash prices, threatening the equity held by recent buyers or to idle construction crews.
    — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 27 July 2026
  • BuzzFeed is slashing its workforce on the heels of the digital media company’s deal to sell a controlling ownership stake to entrepreneur and comedian Byron Allen.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 July 2026
Definition of slash
Verb
  • Ukraine continues to pound Putin's energy assets, taking some Russian oil refining offline.
    — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 23 July 2026
  • But the Thai-style of salad—a combination of sour (som) and pounded ingredients (tam)—can be applied to a wide array of produce.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 July 2026
Definition of pound
Verb
  • Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, also lashed out at Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
  • Some lashed out at United’s fan representatives — volunteers who have been working behind the scenes to try to help.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of lash
Verb
  • 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
  • In addition to taking part in a yoga session with the goats, Harry was pelted with water balloons on an inflatable obstacle course and asked an emotional question by a 9-year-old girl named Poppy during his time at the festival.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026
Definition of pelt

Browse Nearby Words

tams
tan
tandem
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on tan

Nglish: Translation of tan for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inveigle

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All