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
Our data shows that 18 of the past 24 winners sang entirely in the language of Shakespeare, with two others using English alongside their national tongue.
—
Miriam Quick, New York Times, 15 May 2025
The soft green shade is also seen on the shoe’s liner, heel and tongue branding and translucent outsole.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 14 May 2025
Chung then described the physical toll that her tongue cancer has taken on her.
—Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 9 May 2025
How To Use Flower Essences Flower essences are usually taken as drops under the tongue or in a glass of water, 2–4 drops, four times a day.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tongue
Miriam Quick, New York Times, 15 May 2025
The soft green shade is also seen on the shoe’s liner, heel and tongue branding and translucent outsole.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 14 May 2025
Chung then described the physical toll that her tongue cancer has taken on her.
—Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 9 May 2025
How To Use Flower Essences Flower essences are usually taken as drops under the tongue or in a glass of water, 2–4 drops, four times a day.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tongue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tongue
Noun
-
Previously, pro-Kremlin trolls had been notably restrained in commenting on Trump, using neutral or careful language, Agentstvo reported.—
Isabel van Brugen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
-
This platform uses rigorous standardization protocols, like OMB guidelines for demographics and ISO codes for language, ensuring consistency.—
Raghvendra Tripathi,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
Fans of Harry Potter books, films will likely recognize the setting, vocabulary, characters at Epic Universe.—
Samantha Neely,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
-
Who wants their grandchildren to emulate such limited vocabulary, negative language and divisive rhetoric?—
Christine Ledbetter,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
Many learners struggle with deciding whether to focus on MSA or a regional dialect, which impacts their ability to communicate effectively in real-world scenarios.—
Geoffrey Alphonso,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2025
-
Koine Greek—the dialect of the New Testament—was then the lingua franca of the eastern-Mediterranean world, although, of course, familiarity with it ranged from erudite scholarship to learning a few words for the sake of haggling in the marketplace.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Noun
-
Powered by nine proprietary learning methods, the platform integrates real-time cultural signals - from memes and slang to idioms and ancient lore.—
Nell Derick Debevoise,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
-
But the nature of all idioms is that their meaning cannot be deduced from their components; the phrase kicked the bucket does not put the English speaker in the mind of an actual bucket, just as the word death does not remind him terribly of the letter D.—
Andrea Long Chu,
Vulture,
6 May 2025
Video
An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling
Soop, wimmen, and headake did not make the cut
Cite this Entry
“Tongue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue. Accessed 31 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share