tanning

verb

Definition of tanningnext
present participle of tan
1
as in hiding
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 licking
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 tanning 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 Alternatively, Evans suggests using a moisturizer on those areas before tanning to create a barrier so less self-tanner can penetrate. — Deanna Pai, Glamour, 6 June 2026 Other myths, such as how tanning your perineum can boost energy and balance hormones, or how eliminating seed oils from your diet will protect you from the sun, have also fed into Gen Z tanning culture. — The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026 The rule drew more than 9,000 public comments from both physicians and cancer research organizations supporting its implementation and from tanning bed industry representatives and business owners opposed. — Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026 Peters has also mentioned taking Melanotan II, which facilitates tanning without the use of sunlight. — Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026 Market projections expect the self-tanning category to reach $315 million by 2030. — Tori Crowther, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026 The waste from a single large agave piña can produce enough biopolymers to co-formulate the retannage — an additional treatment after tanning where leather is exposed to chemicals or natural agents to fine-tune its feel — of roughly 80 hides. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tanning
  1. hiding
  2. licking
  3. whipping
  4. pounding
  5. slashing
  6. lashing
  7. switching
  8. doing
Verb
  • Pittsboro has neither beaches nor mountains, but don’t count it out as a relaxing getaway just yet; this small town is hiding a Relais & Châteaux inn, restaurant, and spa.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Ligdis called emergency services to report his trespassing while hiding in the laundry room.
    — Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, admitted to licking the straw and returning it to the vending machine while recording the act for his online followers.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of licking
Verb
  • Battered cars with numbers sprayed on their sides are whipping around the dirt track of the Lebanon Valley Speedway, loose fenders flopping like overgrown bangs in the swirling dust.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • Williams braved pounding surf and massive waves to bring a struggling 10-year-old boy safely back to shore, as Fox News Digital reported.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • During the rescue, which was caught on video, 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams and another lifeguard pulled a 10-year-old to safety amid pounding waves.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of pounding
Verb
  • The Post underwent a round of severe layoffs earlier this year, slashing a third of its workforce, ending its books coverage, and slimming down its metro and international staffs, among other cuts.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 31 July 2026
  • Amazon just put a variety of MacBooks on sale, slashing up to $500 off the most expensive MacBook Pro configurations.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 29 July 2026
Definition of slashing
Verb
  • The president has responded to the MAGA criticism by lashing out repeatedly at dissenters, prompting Greene – once a top Trump supporter – not to run for reelection and Massie to lose his primary.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Koivun launched himself into the lead at TPC Twin Cities by lashing a 305-yard approach shot to 12 feet on the par-5 12th hole.
    — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of lashing
Verb
  • And while there’s fun to be had with the premise of the three characters constantly and accidentally switching places — most often in the middle of a space fight) — the meandering script unfortunately tries to do too much.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Training camp for the Kansas City Chiefs began on July 29, and even with the program only days in, the 36-year-old tight end felt like switching up his appearance with changes to his facial hair.
    — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of switching
Verb
  • Alvin Kan, chief operating officer of Bitget Wallet, said on the On The Margin podcast that freelancers and remote workers already treat a self-custody crypto wallet as a place to keep working capital, and that the share doing so is growing.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • At times, he was seen doing stretches, eating food, peering out the windows with binoculars and listening to music with headphones.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of doing

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Cite this Entry

“Tanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tanning. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tanning

Nglish: Translation of tanning for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tanning

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