as in suntanned
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1
as in whipped
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
2
as in licked
to strike repeatedly
a time when children were routinely tanned for misbehavior
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Recent Examples of tanned
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 May 2026
The ex-spies blended in nicely among the engineers, techies, and tanned retirees from law enforcement and government-adjacent jobs.
—Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
But this gorgeous pair of tanned leather mules has a cork insole and a natural rubber sole for a super high-quality step.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
Sunburnt blush focuses the color in the very center of your face for a just-tanned effect, while the doll-blush trend places it on the apples of cheeks for a smooth look.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 15 Dec. 2025
The boots are made from a twinface sheepskin upper, with fleece and wool on the inside and the tanned skin on the outside.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025
The homey haunt, just a stone's throw from the shore, has served up many ice-cold beverages for tanned locals and sunburnt visitors alike.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
Leo, hired as their lead guitarist, had the right look—rough around the edges, with long dark hair and tanned skin.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Its broad, meticulously kept tanned dunes dissolving into rolling surf and the deep blue Pacific with breathtaking sunsets are a photographer’s dream.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026
His skin is tanned, similar to a Lunarian king.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Before then, it was thought that indoor tanners were about 75% percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors, and that just one session in a tanning bed could increase the risk by 20 percent.
—Tori Crowther, Allure, 19 Mar. 2026
Tessum, 36, tall, lean, and tanned, already has two world records for trips to the North Pole.
—Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026
Her privileged best friend, coming off an unsatisfying nose job, takes the drug and shows up the next day blonde, tanned and ready for the runway.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Tall and tanned, the Portland native moved to Palm Springs, yes, during the pandemic.
—Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
If carefully tanned, well made, and properly cared for, a real fur hat or coat should last for decades.
—Skye Goode, Outdoor Life, 29 Jan. 2026
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk — still tanned after returning from summer break — addressed the media to discuss the season ahead and eventually offered his two cents on changing NHL fashion.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The biggest is Theroux’s overly tanned and idiotic tech billionaire Benji Barnes, who is dating Emily (Emily Blunt) after recently divorcing his cool wife Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu) and leaving her with billions.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 May 2026
The ex-spies blended in nicely among the engineers, techies, and tanned retirees from law enforcement and government-adjacent jobs.
—Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
But this gorgeous pair of tanned leather mules has a cork insole and a natural rubber sole for a super high-quality step.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
Sunburnt blush focuses the color in the very center of your face for a just-tanned effect, while the doll-blush trend places it on the apples of cheeks for a smooth look.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 15 Dec. 2025
The boots are made from a twinface sheepskin upper, with fleece and wool on the inside and the tanned skin on the outside.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Nov. 2025
The homey haunt, just a stone's throw from the shore, has served up many ice-cold beverages for tanned locals and sunburnt visitors alike.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
Leo, hired as their lead guitarist, had the right look—rough around the edges, with long dark hair and tanned skin.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Its broad, meticulously kept tanned dunes dissolving into rolling surf and the deep blue Pacific with breathtaking sunsets are a photographer’s dream.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
Blond, blue-eyed and perpetually tanned, Harmon served as Groucho Marx’s assistant on the 1961 CBS game show Tell It to Groucho, then starred as a girl in Hawaii who gets mixed up in a robbery in the beach party movie One Way Wahine (1965).
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026
His skin is tanned, similar to a Lunarian king.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Before then, it was thought that indoor tanners were about 75% percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors, and that just one session in a tanning bed could increase the risk by 20 percent.
—Tori Crowther, Allure, 19 Mar. 2026
Tessum, 36, tall, lean, and tanned, already has two world records for trips to the North Pole.
—Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026
Her privileged best friend, coming off an unsatisfying nose job, takes the drug and shows up the next day blonde, tanned and ready for the runway.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Tall and tanned, the Portland native moved to Palm Springs, yes, during the pandemic.
—Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
If carefully tanned, well made, and properly cared for, a real fur hat or coat should last for decades.
—Skye Goode, Outdoor Life, 29 Jan. 2026
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk — still tanned after returning from summer break — addressed the media to discuss the season ahead and eventually offered his two cents on changing NHL fashion.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tanned
Verb
-
As conquerers of the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks have whipped all five boroughs into a frenzy.—
Esfandiar Baraheni,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
Costume bit the tenant’s hands and cheek during the struggle, then whipped a knife out of his pocket and stabbed the tenant in the back of the neck, the tenant said.—
Julian Roberts-Grmela,
New York Daily News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Just outside the room, Hadley eagerly licked it up.—
Laura Ungar,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
-
Just outside the room, Hadley eagerly licked it up.—
Laura Ungar,
Fortune,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
It can be used as a primer, highlighter, or to fake a bronzed complexion.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
21 May 2026
-
The bronzed skin is tacky with the bird’s own fat and sugars, and beautifully caramelized along every ridge.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Carolina was in a state of disarray in the third, and after going on a power play, Sebastian Aho slashed Marner, who was headed to the net on a short-handed breakaway.—
Matt Reigle,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
-
Sumner barely escaped death; his head and shoulders were slashed to the bone.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Hull pounded his fourth double of the game, prompting mass hysteria from the 3,913 Tar Heel fans and ultimate heartbreak in the other dugout.—
Alan Cole,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
Every stretch had brought its own challenges, but these past few days had been especially brutal, the crewmembers fording streams, inching through hub-deep mud, sleeping in the car, dodging hail under rubber blankets, catching a night’s rest at a farmhouse as violent rain pounded the roof.—
Eric Moskowitz,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
But Shaboozey, dressed in head-to-toe denim with brown suede boots, his dreadlocks hanging loose across his back, is thinking about his mother.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
8 June 2026
-
Warm, nutty, and salty, brown butter adds so much complexity to any chocolate chip cookie recipe.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Trump has lashed out at NATO and threatened to withdraw in recent months over alliance members’ reluctance to get involved in the Iran war.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
3 June 2026
-
This torturous ordeal marked Mee’s first time entering this cave, located in the foothills of a mining project near the village of Long Tieng, hours away from the nearest cities and on muddy roads that have been lashed by the rainy season.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
These are massive stars in their later stages, swollen and ruddy, shining bright across the cosmos.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
3 May 2026
-
The color is a deep, ruddy amber brown, and the nose is full of alcohol and oak.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tanned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tanned. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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