How to Use tan in a Sentence

tan

1 of 3 verb
  • The rawhide can be tanned just like the stuff that comes from cows.
    — Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 21 Sep. 2017
  • His face is coffee tanned and his hands are big as bear paws.
    — Ned Rozell, Anchorage Daily News, 5 May 2018
  • Yes, all skin types—whether your face is dry or oily, dark or light, quick to tan or burn.
    — Jenna Ryu, SELF, 21 June 2023
  • The hides were packed in salt and sent back to Pakistan to be tanned.
    — Sig Christenson, ExpressNews.com, 15 Sep. 2019
  • Constance smiles and holds up the cards, tall in her tennis whites, her legs and arms tanned.
    — Kate Walbert, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
  • He was also tanned, and hadn’t had a chance to fix a missing lower tooth.
    — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
  • Soon after burial, the acid starts tanning the body’s skin, hair and nails.
    — Christian Als, Smithsonian, 29 May 2017
  • Shearling, which is sheep hide that is tanned with the fleece left on, is very effective.
    — Bob Beacham, Field & Stream, 3 Aug. 2023
  • The group plans to eat the meat, tan the hide, and mount the head of their inaugural catch.
    — Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 30 Aug. 2023
  • For one, people are still tanning—not just in beds, but also the beach and in the park.
    — Lauren Valenti, Marie Claire, 9 June 2015
  • Beavers are skinned up the belly in what’s called an open style, and pelts can be sold at auction or tanned to keep.
    — Joseph Biebert, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2023
  • Sicilian blood works like the sun, tanning the flesh from the inside out.
    — Lisa Taddeo, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2020
  • Close by, dozens of other naked bodies tanned in the sun and bobbed in the shallow water.
    — Davy Rothbart, GQ, 18 July 2017
  • Her ID card shows a smiling woman with gray hair, blue eyes and tanned skin.
    — Cynthia Hubert, sacbee, 28 July 2017
  • Tanning beds are not a safer option than tanning outside.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 12 June 2026
  • Stray leaves and tan hot dog wrappers litter the infield, broadcast about the dirt by the wind.
    — Chad Pergram, Fox News, 6 July 2017
  • The tri-tone leather is tanned using a new process that employs wastewater from olive pressing.
    — Dave Vanderwerp, Car and Driver, 18 Aug. 2023
  • Two or three yolks (no egg whites included) are enough to tan something small like a rabbit pelt.
    — Tim MacWelch, Outdoor Life, 24 Dec. 2020
  • He was brought into court in a wheelchair, sporting a white beard, glasses, and tan prison garb.
    — Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2018
  • Love reading while at the beach, but can never find a comfortable way to tan your back at the same time?
    — Tainaya Nash, House Beautiful, 14 June 2019
  • Red Antler processed the meat for him, the hide is being tanned, and the skull mounted.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The gunmen fled in a a silver or tan four-door sedan, driven by another man.
    — Houston Chronicle, 13 Feb. 2020
  • The white flower heads usually transform to pink or tan as the weather cools.
    — Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2023
  • The brand initially offered a range of products from tanning mousse to body oil.
    — Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 3 Dec. 2023
  • His skin was tanned a deep chestnut, and his body appeared rubbery and deflated.
    — Christian Als, Smithsonian, 2 May 2017
  • The final straw to break the camel’s back will probably be tanning salons.
    — Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 14 May 2018
  • That hide is shipped overseas, usually to Asia, to be tanned into leather.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 25 Dec. 2025
  • Von Rupp looks every bit the modern-surfer, tanned, in shape and his hair partly bleached by the sun and sea.
    — Matt Majendie, CNN, 4 Oct. 2017
  • My chest is still day-one tanned, but my boobs, underarms, and tummy are as pale as the day I was born.
    — Georgia Murray, refinery29.com, 27 June 2018
  • Stay away from tanning beds Indoor tanning beds are not safer than tanning your skin in the sun.
    — Dr. Leslie Baumann, miamiherald, 30 May 2017

tan

2 of 3 adjective
  • She was last seen wearing a tan shirt, blue jeans and black shoes.
    — Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • If the edges look ragged with tan or white tips, your mower blade is at fault.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The belly is tan or gray with dark blotches.
    — Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Grab them in a neutral tan color for spring.
    — Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
  • The five-some wore tan pants and matching tan jackets.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
  • The snake is copper-colored, light brown or tan.
    — Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026
  • The outside is tan, blue, and a burgundy.
    — Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
  • And honestly, who doesn't want to be tan?
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The dogs were a tan male mix-breed and a dark brindle and white female mixed breed.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • In a strange little tan-and-white bodysuit!
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Plus, a tan or khaki trench coat is one of the hallmarks of any capsule wardrobe.
    — Leila Najafi, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Capri could be seen wrapped in a tan blanket on the floor, holding the toy ice roller in her hand.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
  • This front entrance is classic, paired with white trim and a tan clapboard house.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 26 May 2026
  • One of them was wearing a black shirt and gray pants, and the other had on a tan shirt and black pants.
    — Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Roderick, meanwhile, donned a flowy red-and-cream dress with tan wedges.
    — Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 29 May 2026
  • One set had dark blue shorts and a lighter blue paisley-print top, the other had tan shorts and an olive top.
    — Benny Peterson, Vogue, 4 May 2026
  • Choose from colors including white, black, tan, blue, and more.
    — Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
  • He was last seen wearing a tan coat, maroon sweats pants and blue-and-white Nike shoes.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The building has a stucco finish, and the paint is a tan color.
    — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The style comes in black, tan, blue, and dark brown and is currently on sale for $85.
    — Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
  • He was last seen wearing a tan colored shirt, officers said.
    — Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Hawn’s winter boots were constructed from black suede and lined with soft tan shearling.
    — Tara Larson, Footwear News, 22 Dec. 2025
  • Grab a coconut and sit by their pool overlooking the bay for a little tan sesh.
    — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Both snakes are pinkish-tan to grayish-brown, with bands being dark gray, brown or reddish brown.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
  • Grutman is in a tan outfit and black shirt watching the star while smiling and dancing.
    — Dave Osborn, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
  • He was last seen wearing a tan or light brown jacket, tan camouflage pants and black shoes with white shoelaces.
    — Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Clarke opted for a tan version of the Koller style, which popped against her long bright white overcoat.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
  • The high ceiling restaurant with gray, tan and cream finishes feels a bit like a boardroom.
    — Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Wedding arrived in court wearing a tan jail jumpsuit with his ankles chained.
    — Amy Taxin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
  • She was reportedly last seen wearing a tan-colored top and tan pants.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 26 May 2026

tan

3 of 3 noun
  • Go through the works and blend out my tan.
    — Christina Dugan Ramirez , Larry Fink, FOXNews.com, 5 Jan. 2026
  • The telltale mark of a fake tan?
    — Deanna Pai, Glamour, 6 June 2026
  • Use one drop for a light tan or more to up the bronze factor.
    — Cristina Montemayor, SELF, 27 May 2022
  • He was last seen wearing a tan and green coat, blue pants and a brown beanie.
    — Marc Ramirez, Dallas News, 22 Feb. 2020
  • When I‘ve just had a fresh haircut and a good tan.
    — Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
  • It was painted gray and tan, with stonework around the door and a bed of tulips.
    — Michelle Theriault Boots, Anchorage Daily News, 22 July 2023
  • Fungal leaf spot produces large tan to brown spots on leaves.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2023
  • Berrios sported teal swim trunks and a solid fake tan.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Their coats are usually brown and tan mixed with gray and black.
    — Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 7 Dec. 2023
  • If your goal is looksmaxxing, don't get a real tan.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 12 June 2026
  • Heck, let the mind wander to sunglass tans and cheesy beach reads.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2023
  • To complete the look, the pop star wore a set of lime-green nails and a bronze tan.
    — Tish Weinstock, Vogue, 9 July 2021
  • This tan and baby blue one can even be bought with a matching sweater skirt.
    — Brittany Natale, Redbook, 17 Aug. 2023
  • Soft tan lines had set up camp on her shoulders, earned despite the chill.
    — Jessi Jezewska Stevens, Harper’s Magazine , 28 Sep. 2022
  • This trio has all the tools needed to achieve a seamless neck-to-toe tan.
    — Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 13 June 2022
  • Even the restraints used to tie her to her lounge chair are a soft-tan color.
    — Jessica Goldstein, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2021
  • The sparkling tan and brown puzzle-piece pattern curved and dipped out of the light.
    — Rebecca Renner, Outside Online, 14 May 2020
  • The lipstick red works really nice on my skin with a deep tan.
    — Alexis Bennett, Vogue, 1 Aug. 2022
  • This chili oxford is the perfect color to work with navy and tan.
    — Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 8 Sep. 2023
  • Right now, it’s priced at $49 in black and a light tan and $59 in white.
    — Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Five days, plus a few workouts and showers later, my tan still looks fresh.
    — Lily Wohlner, Allure, 9 Feb. 2026
  • There are also a few big sun pads for anyone onboard who wants to work on their tan.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2021
  • Pair them with some no-show socks to flash the last of your tan, or make a snuggly pair the star of the show.
    — Talia Abbas, Glamour, 26 Aug. 2021
  • Rather, creams, tans, and earth textures are on the rise, Austin reports.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2023
  • Choose from neutrals like white, gray, and tan, or opt for more vivid solids like mint green and lavender.
    — Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024
  • Your tan will develop on its own over four to eight hours and can be used as is – no fuss, all glow.
    — Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022
  • This is the form of light that causes skin to tan and to age, the form used in tanning salons.
    — Lisa Sanders, M.d., New York Times, 6 July 2023
  • One is described as wearing a red hat and tan shorts, while the other wore gray and blue jeans.
    — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 6 June 2026
  • In this instance, the car was light beige with a dark tan interior.
    — Vern Parker, Houston Chronicle, 31 Jan. 2020
  • The best self-tan lotions for fair skin can be surprisingly hard to find.
    — Daley Quinn, Glamour, 11 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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