tanning

verb

Definition of tanningnext
present participle of tan
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

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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 Coco & Eve’s face tanning mist offers a way to achieve a natural, radiant glow entirely on her own terms, without sun exposure, tanning beds, or heavy makeup. — Ethan Stone october 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026 In the smoking room, the Gamonéus were lined up neatly on shelves, gently tanning in the smoke from a fire smoldering in the corner. — Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026 Experts are concerned about a resurgence in the popularity of tanning among young adults as social media has helped tanning in general make a comeback. — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 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 Alternatively, Evans suggests using a moisturizer on those areas before tanning to create a barrier so less self-tanner can penetrate. — Deanna Pai, Glamour, 6 June 2026 Other myths, such as how tanning your perineum can boost energy and balance hormones, or how eliminating seed oils from your diet will protect you from the sun, have also fed into Gen Z tanning culture. — The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026 Peters has also mentioned taking Melanotan II, which facilitates tanning without the use of sunlight. — Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tanning
  1. hiding
  2. licking
  3. whipping
  4. pounding
  5. slashing
  6. lashing
  7. switching
  8. doing
Verb
  • The Manhunters rebelled against the Guardians, and most were killed; the sole survivor is hiding out in Rushville disguised as a human.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
  • But this is in fact the opportunity hiding inside the greatest technological acceleration of our lifetimes.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Teams have to be licking their chops after seeing what Tampa Bay did to Dallas last Thursday night, especially considering the defense (or lack thereof) that the Cowboys have shown through five weeks.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Carter is licking his wounds after the rest of the tribe sent Ana home in a blindside.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of licking
Verb
  • Now imagine whipping your phone out after work, telling the world about it, and landing a brand deal worth $10K or more.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Now imagine the same hot and dry conditions, but with the Santa Anas whipping at 40 miles an hour.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • Strong winds, pounding seas and coastal flood threats will be near-constant companions for parts of North Carolina up through the Chesapeake Bay area this weekend as a nor’easter that’s expected to linger well into next week starts to take shape.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • You were expected, at the very least, to put up a good fight, and the dance could get real ugly real quick—I’ve witnessed aunties and uncles pounding their fists on the table in a yelling war and checks being ripped straight down the middle.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of pounding
Verb
  • The city of Hollywood hosted a public meeting to give residents an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about Amendment 3, a ballot proposal aimed at drastically slashing property taxes.
    — Ted Scouten, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • McAvoy missed the first six games of the season as punishment for slashing Buffalo’s Zach Benson late in Game 6 of the first round of the playoffs last season when the Bruins got eliminated.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of slashing
Verb
  • These are just two of the many scenes of destruction the hurricane has left in Hawaii after lashing the state’s western islands with heavy rain, widespread flooding and tropical-storm-force winds on Monday and Tuesday.
    — Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026
  • This week’s meeting of G20 finance ministers underscored rising global trade tensions, with several countries, including the US, lashing out at China.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of lashing
Verb
  • Their teammate had begun the season competing in boys’ races before switching to girls’ competition.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon dialed up more blitzes and two-high safety coverages in the second half, switching from a first-half strategy that was full of single-high and some three-man rushes.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of switching
Verb
  • Any company doing a div-recap is likely taking a forward-looking view that the IPO market will be closed in the short run.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, was found to have aided and abetted her husband’s offenses for witnessing the abuse and doing nothing to intervene.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of doing

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tanned
tanning
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Cite this Entry

“Tanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tanning. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tanning

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tanning

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