tongue-in-cheek

adjective

Definition of tongue-in-cheeknext
as in flippant

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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-in-cheek Sox fans probably are not enamored with the idea of Breslow as Executive of the Year, even as a tongue-in-cheek possibility. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 30 June 2026 The two traced the story of the show back to their first meeting in 2011, realized on screen at the presentation with a tongue-in-cheek comic panel featuring Wong complaining about their lunch. — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 23 June 2026 In a tongue-in-cheek social media post shared on the tournament’s opening day, the TSA reminded travelers that ranch dressing is subject to the agency's long-standing liquids restrictions. — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 Sunnei emerged on the international scene with unexpected and inventive show concepts, and the designers share with Franco Moschino a tongue-in-cheek attitude to fashion, peppering their collections with fashion commentary. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tongue-in-cheek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tongue-in-cheek
  1. flippant
  2. facetious
  3. ironic
  4. wry
  5. cynical
  6. dry
  7. poignant
Adjective
  • Your method of dismissing your flippant remarks, then, is probably the next best option to silence.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026
  • Chick lit was flippant and fizzy and fun, above all, as effervescent and guiltless as a vodka soda.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 4 May 2026
Definition of flippant
Adjective
  • The first thing he was asked, by another reporter who witnessed the debate, was a facetious question of whether he’s given MVP any thought.
    — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2026
  • His posture is authoritative without being imposing, his voice warm without being facetious.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Definition of facetious
Adjective
  • Such are the perils of popularity, all the more ironic because Oliver never intended to be a populist.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 3 July 2026
  • In person, Huang subdues his ironic braggadocio with polite eye contact and rolling belly laughs at his own jokes.
    — Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of ironic
Adjective
  • Historical evidence supports this portrayal to some extent, with exhausted monks leaving wry marginal notes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • Fortunately, Dusse lightens the lawyer’s spiral into his mobster client’s dark underworld with wry humor and pointed skewering of both the wellness industry and the criminal legal profession.
    — The Know, Denver Post, 5 July 2026
Definition of wry
Adjective
  • His willingness to move to Rio de Janeiro upon taking the job endeared him to the cynical public, as did his decision to call up Neymar to his squad to quieten the noise the forward’s potential exclusion would have brought with it.
    — Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Against the run of play, the Atlas Lions won a free kick near the corner of the box after Luc De Fougerolles was booked for a cynical challenge.
    — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • In a bowl, combine all dry rub ingredients and season the ribs generously on all sides.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Flip your cloth to a dry side and buff for that perfect, streak-free shine.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 2 July 2026
Definition of dry
Adjective
  • Matt Haig blends the poignant drama of a Douglas Sirk movie with speculative twists straight out of Dickens.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
  • Buteau reflected on filming one of the series' most poignant storylines, which centers on infertility.
    — Charlie Carballo, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of poignant

Browse Nearby Words

tongue
tongue-in-cheek
tongue-lash
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Cite this Entry

“Tongue-in-cheek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue-in-cheek. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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