What does tongue-in-cheek mean?
Tongue-in-cheek means (idiomatic) Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous..
Tongue-in-cheek
Pronunciation varies by accent · adjective
Meaning
(idiomatic) Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous..
Definitions by Sense
- (idiomatic) Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.
- (obsolete) With contempt.
- With irony.
Example Sentences
He gave a tongue-in-cheek explanation of why the sky was blue, offering a theory about some primordial discount on light blue paint.
It was in this era, too, that author and Scotland the Brave songwriter Cliff Hanley penned The Glasgow Underground, a tongue-in-cheek love letter to the Subway in song.
The tongue-in-cheek sendup wasn’t far from Silicon Valley’s reality.
He portrayed them tongue-in-cheek as great lawgivers, as Solons.
Synonyms for tongue-in-cheek
Antonyms for tongue-in-cheek
Related Words
Word Forms
- more tongue-in-cheek
- most tongue-in-cheek
- tongue in cheek
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for tongue-in-cheek?
Common synonyms include witty, amusing, bright, diverting.
What is the opposite of tongue-in-cheek?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use tongue-in-cheek in a sentence?
He gave a tongue-in-cheek explanation of why the sky was blue, offering a theory about some primordial discount on light blue paint.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.