tans

verb

present tense third-person singular of tan
1
as in hides
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 licks
to strike repeatedly a time when children were routinely tanned for misbehavior

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tans
  1. hides
  2. licks
  3. whips
  4. pounds
  5. slashes
  6. lashes
  7. flicks
  8. pelts
Verb
  • What isn’t vintage is mostly custom designed by Levin—a wall-to-wall couch with conversation pit vibes, a wooden bed with an attached bench, a thoughtful floating console that hides a TV.
    — Leonora Epstein, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026
  • On the day of the scavenger hunt, the team hides its creations around town, while ravenous worm-hunters eagerly await their first hint of where a ceramic worm decorated to look like a pickle, or a crayon, or a rainbow dinosaur, can be found.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of hides
Verb
  • That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Later, a woman protractedly licks blue ice cream from a cone, her attempts thwarted by ferocious gusts of wind and sand.
    — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of licks
Verb
  • Castro whips her head around and follows him, punching him in the back.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Green whips out his phone with the fluid motion of a digital native and snaps a photo.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of whips
Verb
  • Higher prices come as Ukraine pounds Russian refineries, forcing Moscow to ban diesel exports.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Part of the problem is that every summer, water pounds down on sidewalks in the Treasure Valley, drops rippling on glassy reflective surfaces, all because of sprinkler jets overshooting the grass and landing on pavement.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of pounds
Verb
  • Using a sharp knife, make crosswise slashes every 2 in [5 cm] along the body, cutting down to the bone.
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Northrop Grumman slashes overall weight and reduces total part counts, manufacturing combat-ready autonomous jets at a fraction of typical costs.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of slashes
Verb
  • Alpha 1, who’s most strict about the disease’s suppression, lashes out uncontrollably.
    — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The best mascaras for older women help coat lashes with color while addressing the annoying issues that come with age.
    — Micaela English, Glamour, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lashes
Verb
  • Fernandes then flicks the ball to his team-mate and Mainoo rattles the woodwork, with Anderson unable to block the shot.
    — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • As if to signal this iteration hasn’t completely deviated from its roots, in the show’s opening moments, Deborah Wayne coolly flicks the iconic flip-up frames made famous by Hardison’s Dwayne.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of flicks
Verb
  • Not so much because Paul puts on-again, off-again partner Dakota Mortensen into a headlock and then pelts him with metal bar stools — sadly, this is a scene that would not be out of place on many reality shows — but because a small child is in the room.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of pelts
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.

Browse Nearby Words

tanning
tans
tantalize
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Cite this Entry

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

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