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Synonyms

tinge

American  
[tinj] / tɪndʒ /

verb (used with object)

tinged, tingeing, tinging

  1. to impart a trace or slight degree of some color to; tint.

  2. to impart a slight taste or smell to.

noun

  1. a slight degree of coloration.

  2. a slight admixture, as of some qualifying property or characteristic; trace; smattering.

    a tinge of garlic; a tinge of anger.
    Synonyms:
    suspicion, nuance, shade, hint
tinge British  
/ tɪndʒ /

noun

  1. a slight tint or colouring

    her hair had a tinge of grey

  2. any slight addition

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to colour or tint faintly

  2. to impart a slight trace to

    her thoughts were tinged with nostalgia
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • intertinge verb (used with object)
  • retinge verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of tinge

First recorded in 1470–80, tinge is from the Latin word tingere to dye, color

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.

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

Some of the show’s most delicious moments feature Olyphant’s android responding to its bratty creator’s slight by simply staring at him with a tinge of menace before acknowledging his demand.

From Salon • Sep. 8, 2025

Expect a pun or two and some heightened emotions — and don’t be surprised if there’s tinge of hokeyness.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2025

Mda was more moderate in his nationalism than Lembede, and his thinking was without the racial tinge that characterized Lembede’s.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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.