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
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What To Know Under the current law, indoor tanning services are defined as any service using equipment that incorporates ultraviolet (UV) lamps intended for skin tanning.
—
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025
What Is a Base Tan? Base tanning is the idea that a light tan can help protect your skin from sunburn later on.1
Many people try to get a base tan from natural sunlight or a tanning bed before going on vacation.
—Laura Schober, Health, 6 May 2025
The enterprise trains local fishermen and their families—including fisherwomen, whose roles have been largely erased by modern norms—in leather tanning, sewing, and sustainable fishing practices.
—Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Alternatively vegetable tanning avoids harmful chemicals and uses natural materials, like tree bark, in their place.
—Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanning
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Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025
What Is a Base Tan? Base tanning is the idea that a light tan can help protect your skin from sunburn later on.1
Many people try to get a base tan from natural sunlight or a tanning bed before going on vacation.
—Laura Schober, Health, 6 May 2025
The enterprise trains local fishermen and their families—including fisherwomen, whose roles have been largely erased by modern norms—in leather tanning, sewing, and sustainable fishing practices.
—Monica Sanders, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Alternatively vegetable tanning avoids harmful chemicals and uses natural materials, like tree bark, in their place.
—Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanning
Cite this Entry
“Tanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanning. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
tanning
noun
tan·ning
ˈtan-iŋ 
: a browning of the skin by exposure to sun
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