tinge
Americanverb (used with object)
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to impart a trace or slight degree of some color to; tint.
-
to impart a slight taste or smell to.
noun
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a slight tint or colouring
her hair had a tinge of grey
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any slight addition
verb
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to colour or tint faintly
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to impart a slight trace to
her thoughts were tinged with nostalgia
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tingesimple
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tingessimple
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have tingedperfect
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has tingedperfect
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am tingeingprogressive
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am tingingprogressive
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are tingeingprogressive
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are tingingprogressive
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is tingeingprogressive
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is tingingprogressive
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have been tingeingperfect progressive
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have been tingingperfect progressive
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has been tingeingperfect progressive
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has been tingingperfect progressive
Past
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tingedsimple
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had tingedperfect
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was tingeingprogressive
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was tingingprogressive
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were tingeingprogressive
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were tingingprogressive
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had been tingeingperfect progressive
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had been tingingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tinge
First recorded in 1470–80, tinge is from the Latin word tingere to dye, color
Explanation
A tinge is a slight amount of something, like a color or a feeling. Some glaciers have a tinge of blue, and an old photo might make you feel a tinge of sadness. If a painting has a tinge of orange, there's just a touch of orange. Outside of colors, tinge can mean a small amount of just about anything. Sometimes you hear about someone speaking with a tinge of anger. That means there's just a little bit anger showing in their words. A tinge will never bowl you over — it's always small or subtle.
Vocabulary lists containing tinge
"The Witches" by Roald Dahl, Chapters 1–5
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Ground Zero
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The Unteachables
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And if it does transpire to be his final week, he will no doubt depart with a tinge of regret.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
Long before apps like Alarmy, makers of alarm clocks recognized that some of their products needed a tinge of menace.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
On Thursday the pitch looked to have a thick covering of grass, but by Friday it was losing its green tinge.
From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026
Still, he also feels a tinge of guilt.
From Salon • Nov. 2, 2025
A gray tinge lingers just under the whiteness of her skin, and tiny patches of whiskers crop up along her cheeks.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
