tongue-in-cheek

adjective

Definition of tongue-in-cheeknext
as in flippant

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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 tongue-in-cheek And that’s the one track that has a little bit of tongue-in-cheek to it. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026 Some protesters march in Spider-Man masks and Batman costumes, carrying tongue-in-cheek placards. — ABC News, 25 July 2026 The sheriff's office later shared his mugshot alongside a tongue-in-cheek Facebook post about the arrest. — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026 While chatting with the NFL brothers, Jason posed a tongue-in-cheek question to the Prince of Wales. — Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tongue-in-cheek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tongue-in-cheek
  1. flippant
  2. facetious
  3. ironic
  4. wry
  5. cynical
  6. dry
  7. poignant
Adjective
  • Kyles suggested, recalling her immediate response to the president’s seemingly flippant remark.
    — Chris Quintana, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Deadpool is proving to be surprisingly magnanimous as the flippant character loses a box office record to The Odyssey.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of flippant
Adjective
  • The excess of emotion often scans as winkingly facetious, a dramatization to demonstrate just how deeply a person loves books.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 8 July 2026
  • The first thing he was asked, by another reporter who witnessed the debate, was a facetious question of whether he’s given MVP any thought.
    — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Definition of facetious
Adjective
  • Briscoe acknowledges the ironic similarities, from driving the #14 to now owning a team, but asserts his venture stems from personal passion and inspiration from various owners.
    — Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The battle over growing cannabis under the sun is somewhat ironic because hemp, which is the cannabis plant with only trace amounts of the delta-9 THC that gets users high, can be legally grown nationwide in farm fields.
    — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of ironic
Adjective
  • Slow Horses, Apple TV’s wry cult spy series, isn’t planning on, well, slowing down anytime soon.
    — Trey Williams, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Romano’s wry, hangdog default demeanor suits his character, Joe, a father of two who’s separated from his wife (Penelope Ann Miller) and living in a depressing motel.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of wry
Adjective
  • One big call was to yellow card Marco van Staden for cynical play on his tryline, superseding a high tackle by New Zealand captain Ardie Savea on Wiese.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The cynical reality is that Republicans don’t even need to turn down tech company donations to campaign on their newly pragmatic identities.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • The marsh was built in the 1990s to naturally clean dry-weather urban runoff from San Diego Creek and address the algae blooms that once existed in Upper Newport Bay, according to the water district’s website.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Craig, now a devoted granddad with a dry sense of humor, began working alongside his father at thirteen, quitting school even though teachers warned him that house moving was a dying trade.
    — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of dry
Adjective
  • Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise, has died.
    — Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • His retirement serves as a poignant reminder of the demanding journey in professional baseball, contrasting with Toronto's ongoing injury woes.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of poignant

Browse Nearby Words

tongue
tongue-in-cheek
tongue-lash
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Cite this Entry

“Tongue-in-cheek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue-in-cheek. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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