tan
verb
\ ˈtan
\
\
tanned;
tanning
Definition of tan
(Entry 1 of 4)
1
: to make (skin) tan especially by exposure to the sun
2a
: to convert (hide) into leather by treatment with an infusion of tannin-rich bark or other agent of similar effect
b
: to convert (protein) to leather or a similar substance
: to get or become tan
tan
adjective
tanner;
tannest
Definition of tan (Entry 2 of 4)
1
: of the color tan
2
: of, relating to, or used for tan or tanning
tan
nounDefinition of tan (Entry 3 of 4)
1
: a brown color imparted to the skin especially by exposure to the sun
2
: a light yellowish brown
3
tans plural
: tan-colored articles of clothing
4
: a tanning material or its active agent (such as tannin)
tan
abbreviationDefinition of tan (Entry 4 of 4)
tangent
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Synonyms for tan
Synonyms: Verb
birch, cowhide, flagellate, flail, flog, hide, horsewhip, lash, leather, rawhide, scourge, slash, switch, thrash, whale, whip
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Examples of tan in a Sentence
Adjective
I can't believe how tan she is! a horse with tan markingsNoun
I got a tan on my vacation.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Reflection of the sun from snow, water, sand or ice can cause photokeratitis, as can tanning equipment or staring unprotected at the solar eclipse. — Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Protect your eyes for life with healthy diet, sun shielding," 24 June 2019 The bobcat, known scientifically as lynx rufus, or red lynx, has reddish to tan fur, stripes on its face and mottled spots on its body. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: When it comes to wildcats in Wisconsin, bobcats are king," 5 June 2019 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, "Read While Lying Down with This Genius Beach Chair," 14 June 2019 Not all of us have time to just tan our vaginas, Shailene! — Sophia Benoit, GQ, "How to Keep Your Relationship Alive with One Text a Day," 16 May 2018 Don’t tan outdoors or in a tanning booth Whether intentional or a mere result of spending too much time outside in the sun (sans sunscreen), having a real tan can cause your spray tan to look unnatural. — Jenn Sinrich, SELF, "11 Things to Avoid Doing Right Before Getting a Spray Tan," 10 Dec. 2018 Made in an Italian factory that used to work exclusively with luxury companies, the leather is vegetable-tanned to improve its look after a few wears. — Stephanie Wu, Town & Country, "The Italian Leather Sandal You'll Wear All Summer," 22 May 2014 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, "I'm A Tanning Virgin — Can The King Of Tan Convert Me?," 27 June 2018 For one, people are still tanning—not just in beds, but also the beach and in the park. — Lauren Valenti, Marie Claire, "The Rate of Deadly Skin Cancer Has Doubled Over the Last Three Decades," 9 June 2015Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Hartlage was last seen wearing a light brown or tan fly-fishing vest and grey hip waders along with a brown baseball cap and a yellow or pink fly-fishing lure attached. — Billy Kobin, The Courier-Journal, "A Kentucky attorney went missing while fishing in Alaska, police say," 2 July 2019 While cloth interiors are certainly cheaper than other options, the black cloth is probably no cheaper than, say, gray or tan cloth. — Ray Magliozzi, courant.com, "Car Talk: How much is my Honda CRV worth?," 30 June 2019 Von Hep shared a photo to Instagram of a suspiciously tan foot sprouting out from a very, well, not tanned ankle. — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Woman's Foot Self-Tanner Fail Is Going Viral on Instagram," 16 Oct. 2018 The atmosphere is generic international hotel, with the standard-issue minimalist touches: streaky marble bar, mirrored walls, low-slung bar tables with Barcelona-style bench seating in tastefully tan leather. — Fox, Town & Country, "A Table for Mr. Fox," 21 Nov. 2012 This drama is also why the tannest photo of 2018, Selena and Kylie at this year’s Met Gala, was so major, as the two ladies hadn’t been seen together in years. — Mariah Smith, The Cut, "Like Everything, Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin’s Relationship Is Connected to the Kardashians," 11 July 2018 In movies, the music industry’s shady opportunists are often cast as overly tan white men with heavy gold chains, who wear their dyed hair teased high. — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, "Forced to Perform As Aretha Franklin," 2 July 2018 Police say a black man between 20 and 30 years old driving a newer model, tan four-door sedan was involved in an accident in the parking lot at 1132 Sycamore St., Pendleton, around 12:55 a.m. Sunday. — Avery Jennings, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Police: Man struck woman in face after minor parking lot accident," 10 June 2018 Both wore tinted sunglasses while Dunst, 36, held a hand to her baby bump that was showcased under a knee-length Snyder cashmere dress by Equipment (available here in black) and tan trench coat. — Jen Juneau, PEOPLE.com, "Bumping Along! Pregnant Kirsten Dunst Shows Off Her Baby Belly During Outing with Jesse Plemons," 3 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
In 2007, the Nevada senator John Ensign was a glittering star in the Republican firmament with a maple-syrup tan, born-again bona fides, and presidential ambitions. — Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Patriarchal Allure of The Family," 14 Aug. 2019 The other man was described as tan, dark-skinned, 6 feet tall and heavyset with shoulder-length hair. — Jason Green, The Mercury News, "Palo Alto: Woman knocked to ground during street robbery," 13 Aug. 2019 The trio, described as between 15 and 18, left in a tan, newer model Ford F-150, police said. — Jennifer James, Houston Chronicle, "Forgotten iPhone leads to arrest of woman with counterfeit money, Friendswood police say," 1 Aug. 2019 Later in the season, the white fuzz will become tan, then brown. — oregonlive.com, "Ask an Expert: What’s the best fertilizer for tomatoes?," 26 July 2019 The tan and white puppies, named by animal control as Ayanna, Alexandria, and Ellen, were found in Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain, officials said. — Maria Lovato, BostonGlobe.com, "Three pit bull mix puppies found in Jamaica Plain cemetery," 24 July 2019 Sheer Joy’ The bride wore a white dress while holding a bouquet of flowers and smiling at her husband, who had a lei on top of his white dress shirt and tan pants. — Eric Todisco, PEOPLE.com, "The Challenge's Abram Boise Is Married to Rachel Missie: 'An Epic Day'," 8 July 2019 He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, black baseball cap with an emblem, tan pants and white gloves, and was carrying a brown paper bag, police said. — Alice Yin, chicagotribune.com, "Man wanted for smearing poop on vehicles, store in Bridgeport," 18 June 2019 The suspect, who wore a stocking over his face, a black shirt and tan pants and carried a black duffel bag, was then seen walking toward the storage case. — Sara Cardine, latimes.com, "Crime Report: Man walks away from smash-and-grab burglary with 18 high-end handbags," 5 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tan.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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