tongue-in-cheek

adjective

Definition of tongue-in-cheeknext
as in flippant

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The White House on Monday sharply rejected a tongue-in-cheek call from a French politician to return the Statue of Liberty to France. — Ivana Saric, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025 In a tongue-in-cheek video and statement posted on X by Upland police, three people are seen breaking into the Corky’s Homestyle Kitchen and Bakery near 7th Street and Mountain Avenue around 3:30 a.m. Thursday. — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2025 Amanda Peet and Olivia Munn also star in the unexpectedly fun series that has a cynical, tongue-in-cheek tone and a slick aesthetic. — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025 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 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
  • The art of bluffing in itself, which is what the movie is all about, isn’t something to be flippant about.
    — Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Claiming ignorance or hyper-fixating on a flippant detail from the past gets us nowhere.
    — Claire Franken, TVLine, 23 Feb. 2025
Definition of flippant
Adjective
  • Given this is an AMA, there is no clear way to tell if Perkins was being facetious or not.
    — Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
  • That quip no longer seems so facetious as a son of exiles who fled their homeland prepares to become America’s top diplomat.
    — Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
Definition of facetious
Adjective
  • The mood is a mix of ironic and sincere in equal measure, with plenty of pastiche and a heavy appreciation for the profundity of cultural detritus.
    — Savannah Sobrevilla, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Despite her difficult childhood, Mavis persevered, through grit, bloody-mindedness, an absence of self-pity, and an ironic sense of humor.
    — Margaret Atwood, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of ironic
Adjective
  • The sense of incidence with which May ’68 plays out, far in the background, speaks to a film for which the political is of little importance, or at least one that reflects the political through wry non-confrontations.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The dialogue is alternately wry and poetic, trafficking in a deadpan magical realism, involving its bustling cast of colorful characters in a circular story, with events revisited via shifting perspectives and time frames.
    — Jason Bailey, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Definition of wry
Adjective
  • Val did something special with a typical 1980s cynical rebel/wisecracker role, giving his character a layer of big brother warmth.
    — KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
  • On the movie front, Viola Davis is an endangered POTUS in G20, Tom Hardy plays a cynical detective in Havoc, and documentary subjects include the Stranger Things stage production, the Milwaukee Brewers’ 1982 season and the Disney cult classic A Goofy Movie.
    — Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • Warmer temperatures in Kansas City’s forecast After the rain, the Kansas City area will enter a quiet, dry period as temperatures warm into the weekend.
    — Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Gentle moisturizers: Your skin might feel dry, tight, and flaky, especially when the rash starts to scab.
    — Alisa Hrustic, SELF, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of dry
Adjective
  • This post contains details about the Yellowjackets, Season 3 episode ‘How the Story Ends’ As Yellowjackets fans mourn the Showtime series’ latest shocking death, the loss is especially poignant for the woman behind the team.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025
  • However, what many fans do agree on is the power of how a middle-aged women's friendship group's narrative concluded—with a poignant realization on friendship and aging.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of poignant

Browse Nearby Words

tongue
tongue-in-cheek
tongue-lash
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tongue-in-cheek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue-in-cheek. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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