tongue

noun

ˈtəŋ How to pronounce tongue (audio)
Definition of tonguenext
as in language
the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication he spoke in a tongue that I didn't understand

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 tongue On August 4, 2026, the European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission captured imagery of the glacier that revealed that a 29 square mile (76 square km) section of the ice tongue has broken away. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026 But by Friday, and with jurors barely out of the room for a recess, Keffe D couldn’t hold his tongue any longer, accusing the prosecutor’s office and their witnesses of putting his address on the street. — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026 The sneaker is built around a black suede upper with the spicy red shade appearing on the Air Jordan 5’s signature shark teeth midsole design, the visible Air unit, outsole Jumpman logo and on the inner tongue branding. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2026 The punchline of the video is someone saying her name, which bounces off the tongue like a bubbly prosecco. — Owen Carry, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tongue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tongue
  1. language
  2. vocabulary
  3. dialect
  4. idiom
Noun
  • From a consideration of apoptosis—the orderly elimination of damaged or unnecessary cells—Solé moves on to failing machines, eroded memories, vanished languages, brittle digital archives, and more.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • High-needs students — defined as those receiving free or reduced price meals, English language learners and students with disabilities — also performed about 10 points below the overall student body in each category.
    — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of language
Noun
  • Kitchen grandmacore could show up in that vocabulary within a year.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Lowenstein told me that the evolving maps have drained the meaning from those Obama-era debates about the viability of a Palestinian state, forcing a revision of the vocabulary that American politicians use to talk about the conflict.
    — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of vocabulary
Noun
  • Owner and chef Stefania Marchesini, who fished professionally herself for 11 years, pays a premium to local fishermen, especially for soft-shell crabs known in the local dialect as moeche.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • What used to be two entirely separate compliance projects is starting to look like two dialects of the same emerging language.
    — Abdelahhad Barbour, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of dialect
Noun
  • In the more compressed idiom of three-act-movie storytelling, this chapter would represent the end of act two, when all hope appears lost.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • There are plenty of idioms to describe Andrean outside hitter Aleece Ehler’s freshman season.
    — Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of idiom

Phrases Containing tongue

Browse Nearby Words

tongas
tongue
tongue-in-cheek
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tongue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tongue

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tongue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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