tongue-in-cheek

1 of 2

adjective

: characterized by insincerity, irony, or whimsical exaggeration

tongue in cheek

2 of 2

adverb

: with insincerity, irony, or whimsical exaggeration

Examples of tongue-in-cheek in a Sentence

Adverb The whole interview was done tongue in cheek.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Fox is a brilliant comedic talent, playing into her own public persona in a hilarious tongue-in-cheek way. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2025 The tongue-in-cheek bit, with Mohan playing the straight man, helped establish his willingness to engage with creators on their own terms. Todd Spangler, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
Adverb
Everything’s meant to be tongue in cheek to give you a chuckle. Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025 While tongue in cheek, the skit actually parodied the current move of corporate America toward accepting, if not embracing, the return of Donald J. Trump as president. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tongue-in-cheek

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1899, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tongue-in-cheek was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tongue-in-cheek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tongue-in-cheek. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

tongue-in-cheek

1 of 2 adjective
: not meant to be taken seriously

tongue in cheek

2 of 2 adverb
: in a tongue-in-cheek manner

More from Merriam-Webster on tongue-in-cheek

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!