tong

1 of 2

noun

ˈtäŋ How to pronounce tong (audio)
ˈtȯŋ
: a secret society or fraternal organization especially of Chinese in the U.S. formerly notorious for gang warfare

tong

2 of 2

verb

tonged; tonging; tongs

transitive verb

: to take, gather, hold, or handle with tongs
tong oysters

intransitive verb

: to use tongs especially in taking or gathering something
tonger
ˈtäŋ-ər How to pronounce tong (audio)
ˈtȯŋ-
noun

Examples of tong in a Sentence

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
Carefully turn using tongs; cook, turning often, until browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025 Use tongs to carefully place the meatballs into the skillet, working in batches as necessary as to not overcrowd the pan. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
His business is quite a bit different from that of traditional watermen, who tong the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for wild oysters. Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2020 See All Example Sentences for tong

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Chinese (Guangdong) tòhng, literally, hall

Verb

tongs

First Known Use

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1868, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of tong was in 1868

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tong. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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!