tans

verb

present tense third-person singular of tan
1
as in hides
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 licks
to strike repeatedly a time when children were routinely tanned for misbehavior

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tans
  1. hides
  2. licks
  3. whips
  4. pounds
  5. slashes
  6. lashes
  7. flicks
  8. pelts
Verb
  • Chasing Perfect Branding Instead Of Customers Another version of the same problem hides inside marketing and design.
    — Erhan Kaya, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Instead of correcting the error, the scheming matriarch hides him in the attic and collects a life insurance payout.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
Definition of hides
Verb
  • Food stands also debuted that year, with ribs sizzling along with the blues licks.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 June 2026
  • At one point in a dinner scene, Shields' Erika licks Joey's fingers.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
Definition of licks
Verb
  • Instead of floating crosses in, Saka either whips his deliveries low near the six-yard box or works a slightly more central position to cut the ball back with a firmer connection.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • The vessel bends, blocks, and whips the wind into complex micro-currents before the air ever hits the sails.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
Definition of whips
Verb
  • Back from a hamstring injury, Teoscar Hernández rejoins a relentless Dodgers offense that pounds 17 hits and three homers in a 9-4 win over the Athletics.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • Teams go bonkers when the player pounds their school name on the bracket.
    — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2026
Definition of pounds
Verb
  • Smiley slashes Mari across the belly and Fatima lets out a monstrous shriek.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • This comes as the company reportedly slashes product prices and prepares for a potential IPO, amid accusations from Florida's AG regarding unsafe product releases.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of slashes
Verb
  • Ukrainian officials have warned residents to guard against further strikes as Russia lashes out.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 2 July 2026
  • Continue reading … SEISMIC SUPPORT — AOC lashes out at Trump for 'betrayal' of voters after key SCOTUS immigration ruling.
    — , FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of lashes
Verb
  • Centre-back Chadi Riad flicks the outswinging corner across goal, with his team-mates’ runs dragging Haiti’s defence forward.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • She is laid out on a gurney, breathing in and out as the nurse flicks the needle, shooting oxytocin, prostaglandins into her blood-stream.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
Definition of flicks
Verb
  • Not so much because Paul puts on-again, off-again partner Dakota Mortensen into a headlock and then pelts him with metal bar stools — sadly, this is a scene that would not be out of place on many reality shows — but because a small child is in the room.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of pelts
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.

Browse Nearby Words

tanning
tans
tantalize
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Cite this Entry

“Tans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tans. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tans

Nglish: Translation of tans for Spanish Speakers

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