tar

1 of 3

noun

ˈtär How to pronounce tar (audio)
Synonyms of tarnext
1
a
: a dark brown or black bituminous usually odorous viscous liquid obtained by destructive distillation of organic material (such as wood, coal, or peat)
b
: a substance in some respects resembling tar
especially : a condensable residue present in smoke from burning tobacco that contains combustion by-products (such as resins, acids, phenols, and essential oils)
2
[short for tarpaulin] : sailor

tar

2 of 3

verb (1)

tarred; tarring

transitive verb

1
: to cover with tar
2
: to defile as if with tar
least tarred by the scandal— Newsweek

tar

3 of 3

verb (2)

ˈtär How to pronounce tar (audio)
variants or tarre
tarred; tarring; tars or tarres

transitive verb

: to urge to action
—usually used with on
Phrases
tar and feather
: to smear (a person) with tar and cover with feathers as a punishment or indignity
tar with the same brush
: to mark or stain with the same fault or characteristic

Synonyms

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of tar in a Sentence

Noun a book about the adventurous lives of tars, skippers, and pirates of the 18th century
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.
Noun
Nicotine pouches are smokeless, spit-free, and free of harmful tar and combustion byproducts. — Edgar Domenech, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2025 The home’s exterior showcases roofing materials crafted from tar and gravel. — Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
In the meantime, party moderates are being tarred with progressive brushes, and Democratic leadership is unwilling or unable to do anything about it. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2025 The debates, the great solutions, DeFi itself, everything gets tarred with the unsafe brush. — Vipin Bharathan, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tar

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English terr, tarr, from Old English teoru; akin to Old English trēow tree — more at tree entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English terren, tarren, from Old English tyrwan

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tar was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing tar

Rhymes for tar

See All Rhymes for tar

Browse Nearby Words

tar
Tar
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Cite this Entry

“Tar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tar. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

tar

1 of 2 noun
ˈtär How to pronounce tar (audio)
1
a
: a dark usually thick sticky liquid obtained by distilling wood, coal, or peat
b
: a substance that resembles tar
especially : a sticky substance that is formed by burning tobacco
2
: sailor
tarlike
-ˌlīk
adjective

tar

2 of 2 verb
tarred; tarring
: to smear with or as if with tar

Medical Definition

tar

noun
ˈtär How to pronounce tar (audio)
1
: any of various dark brown or black bituminous usually odorous viscous liquids obtained by destructive distillation of organic material (as wood, coal, or peat)
especially : one used medicinally (as to treat skin diseases) see coal tar, juniper tar, pine tar
2
: a substance in some respects resembling tar
especially : a condensable residue present in smoke from burning tobacco that contains combustion by-products (as resins, acids, phenols, and essential oils)

Geographical Definition

Tar

geographical name

ˈtär How to pronounce Tar (audio)
river 215 miles (346 kilometers) long in northeastern North Carolina see pamlico

More from Merriam-Webster on tar

Nglish: Translation of tar for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tar

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