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

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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 Treatments include hot pools and steam rooms, wax wraps and tanning barrels, plus hearty healthy meals. — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026 The first version was a tanning oil with benzyl salicylate that promised a safer tan but ultimately had extremely low SPF (a term that wasn’t introduced until 1974). — Kara McGrath, Allure, 16 June 2026 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 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
  • From pencil to pleated, mini to knee-length, sheer to leather, and understated to embellished — the skirt ruled the runway.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Those getting leathered up are Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Lily-Rose Depp, Doona Bae, Riley Keough, Chris Pine and Cate Blanchett.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of leather
Verb
  • The Sox move on to Cleveland while the Cubs come home to lick their wounds.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Bombers beat the Red Sox 9-2 in Game 2 after winning the series opening game 9-0, sending New England’s hardball heroes home to lick their wounds until next spring.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • In whipping rain and wind in New Jersey, the New York Giants held on for a 12-7 win in their first game since quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Castro whips her head around and follows him, punching him in the back.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • The teens then ran from law enforcement before being found hiding in a nearby backyard, with one of the suspects being taken into custody with the assistance of a police dog.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Now that raw capability is no longer scarce, the excuse for hiding behind these proxies has quietly disappeared.
    — Vikas Verma, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Bolsonaro, 45, pledges to slash the deficit and realign the country's foreign policy with Washington.
    — Catherine Osborn, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The announcement comes after his One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year slashed Medicare funding, disqualifying thousands from eligibility and raising fees for the rest.
    — Melissa Goldin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of slash
Verb
  • Guadagnino has always been skilled in his choice of music (Sufjan Stevens’ alt-pop in Call Me by Your Name, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ pounding EDM in Challengers).
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Still The Hairy Ape is, in one sense, a long, furious solo — a man pounding his head against a piano while accompanied by the orchestra — and Beavers ably carries its weight through to the finale.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of pound
Verb
  • San Diego lashed 30 of his 88 pitches for fouls, as Misiorowski’s command and velocity escaped him in the second inning.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • An intruder pressed a knife to Beatty's neck, wrapped her face in tape, lashed her to a bed and assaulted her for hours.
    — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of lash
Verb
  • If/when that day comes, that person should be pelted with rocks and garbage until (s)he stops having terrible ideas.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • This year, rain pelted the ground and the side of the building during the ceremony.
    — Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of pelt

Browse Nearby Words

tams
tan
tandem
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Cite this Entry

“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tan. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tan

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tan

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