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

Relevance

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
  • Cantonese uses different grammar than Mandarin, as well as different vocabulary, particularly in the city of Hong Kong, where speakers often switch between English and Cantonese words, sometimes in the same sentence.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Ruby Hobbs-Leffler felt things with an intensity that even a smart little girl with a big vocabulary couldn’t put into words.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of vocabulary
Noun
  • With so many speakers in different places, Spanish has developed ten different main dialects.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Others argued that the characters should be speaking with Greek accents or even in an ancient Greek dialect to honor the source material’s roots in Greek mythology.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of dialect
Noun
  • There are plenty of idioms to describe Andrean outside hitter Aleece Ehler’s freshman season.
    — Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The Dodgers acquired Skubal in an abundantly predictable bombshell trade with the Detroit Tigers in exchange for a trio of prospects, wanting to test the idiom that a ballclub can never have enough pitching.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 17 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 3 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on tongue

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tongue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of recalcitrant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All