tanning

noun

tan·​ning ˈta-niŋ How to pronounce tanning (audio)
1
: a browning of the skin especially by exposure to sun
2
: the art or process by which a skin is tanned
3
: a sound spanking
4
: a natural darkening and hardening of the cuticle of an insect immediately after molting

Examples of tanning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Melanoma is often caused by skin exposure to ultraviolet light, the type of light invisible to the human eye that comes from the sun or indoor tanning beds. Brian Bushard, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Lisa gets into the tanning bed and instructs him to crank the heat up. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 10 Feb. 2024 The only time sparks fly are when that restorative tanning bed crackles and sputters. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024 Although indoor tanning has the potential to help relieve psoriasis symptoms, the risks far outweigh the benefits, and dermatologists strongly recommend against using it as a treatment. Korin Miller, Health, 26 Jan. 2024 So what is the real, honest truth about indoor tanning and psoriasis? Kara Nesvig, Allure, 22 Jan. 2024 In the United States, now more than 30 states regulate indoor tanning for those under the age of 18 as the fad seemed to slip away and people grasped the severity of the risks over time. Kimberley Dadds, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2024 Chadwick and her husband, who ran businesses that made environmentally-friendly sunscreen and tanning lotion, also lost their company warehouse to the fire. Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2023 Yildiz subjects Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, and Coach accessories to a litany of abuse, slicing them open with an X-Acto knife, rubbing acetone on their surfaces, and lighting shreds on fire to determine the quality of the rawhide, finish, and tanning process. Isabel Slone, Harper's BAZAAR, 7 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tanning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tanning was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tanning

Cite this Entry

“Tanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanning. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tanning

noun
tan·​ning
ˈtan-iŋ
1
: the art or process by which an animal skin is tanned
2
: a browning of the skin especially by exposure to the sun
3
: a usually severe whipping

Medical Definition

tanning

noun
tan·​ning ˈtan-iŋ How to pronounce tanning (audio)
: a browning of the skin by exposure to sun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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