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
Relevance
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
Simply add a few pumps to a tanning mitt and use long sweeping motions all over your body, and leave it on for a minimum of six hours.
—
Lily Wohlner, Allure, 28 Dec. 2025
In the new study, researchers conducted a gene analysis in 182 skin biopsies from tanning bed users and tracked mutation patterns.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
The researchers also performed genetic sequencing on normal skin cells from tanning bed users.
—Maria Godoy, NPR, 14 Dec. 2025
Use self-tanners instead of tanning outside or using a tanning bed.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanning
Lily Wohlner, Allure, 28 Dec. 2025
In the new study, researchers conducted a gene analysis in 182 skin biopsies from tanning bed users and tracked mutation patterns.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
The researchers also performed genetic sequencing on normal skin cells from tanning bed users.
—Maria Godoy, NPR, 14 Dec. 2025
Use self-tanners instead of tanning outside or using a tanning bed.
—Alex Vance, Parents, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tanning
Verb
-
Both teens are hiding secrets; Johnny, a potentially devastating injury and Shannon, a troubled and violent homelife.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The discovery of unusually warm molecular hydrogen in these LLAGN is a testament to the unexpected complexity hiding in plain sight.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As finger-licking as the savory food is, the real headliner here is dessert.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Before Katherine LaNasa was whipping the ER into shape as Nurse Dana on The Pitt, the actress made a memorable impression on Seinfeld viewers.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Legacy of Monsters, complete with a monster tail whipping across half the room.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
With its newest release, Canadian RV specialist Leisure Travel Vans (LTV) adjusts focus from luxurious leisure to heart-pounding adventure travel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
-
But if Robert Icke’s pulse-pounding Broadway production is any indication, Sophocles’ 2,500-year-old Greek tragedy still has the ability to shock.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Some proponents argue that if those interest rates were capped, banks could simply absorb those losses by accepting lower profits or slashing their marketing budgets.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The company has largely outmuscled global behemoth Starbucks in China by slashing prices and offering a menu featuring a huge variety of options to cater to local tastes.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The carnivorous mammal's teeth-baring image suggests a wilderness pushed to the margins and lashing out.—
Felicia Feaster,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Vance often has served as an attack dog for the administration, including lashing out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an Oval Office visit.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Martinko recommends hanging a paper calendar on your wall, switching to a paper planner, and writing out grocery lists and meal plans in lieu of turning to your digital device.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
-
In the phase two trial, patients started on weekly injections of the drug for 12 weeks before switching to once-monthly dosing.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In saliva samples from 628 adults, researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi found that people living with obesity host a distinct oral microbiome, one that differs not just in species, but in what those microbes are actively doing.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Gage’s Robert is also no slouch in the come-on department, gushing over Jack’s appearance and enticing him by wearing women’s lingerie and doing you don’t want to know what else.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tanning. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
