tongue-in-cheek
CulturalExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The name is tongue-in-cheek, but investors haven’t had patience for actual stodginess lately.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
Meanwhile, New York's Mayor Zohran Mamdani has signed a tongue-in-cheek executive order "temporarily repealing bedtimes" to encourage children to watch the late-night games.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
Fennell became so fed up, he started his own tongue-in-cheek, online golf ball reclaim service, giving golfers the chance to get their overhit balls back, but for a fee.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
Other stars have accepted it with a bit more tongue-in-cheek grace.
From Salon ● May 10, 2026
She gave me an A on the written report, saying she liked my tongue-in-cheek approach to criticism, but warned me to clean up the language and watch my run-on sentences.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
