Standard Lemma guide

tongue-in-cheek

adj · adv · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • He gave a tongue-in-cheek explanation of why the sky was blue, offering a theory about some primordial discount on light blue paint.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: witty, amusing, bright, diverting, droll, entertaining, humorous, jocose, jocular, piquant, quick, quick on the draw, quick-witted, sharp, tongue-in-cheek

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

With contempt.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

With irony.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • He portrayed them tongue-in-cheek as great lawgivers, as Solons.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

cleverly amusing in tone

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a bantering tone
  • facetious remarks
  • tongue-in-cheek advice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bantering, facetious

Antonyms: none provided

5

adverb

Meaning 5

not seriously

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I meant it facetiously

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: facetiously, jokingly

Antonyms: none provided

6

adverb

Meaning 6

in a bantering fashion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he spoke to her banteringly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: banteringly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

This phrase alludes to the facial expression created by putting one's tongue in one's cheek. The term first appeared in print in 1828, but it isn't entirely clear that it was used with the modern, rather than a literal, sense. A later citation from Richard Barham is unambiguous.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: met een knipoog — witty, jocular, humorous
  • French: second degré — witty, jocular, humorous
  • German: augenzwinkernd — witty, jocular, humorous
  • German: mit einem Augenzwinkern — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Greek: αστείος (asteíos) — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Greek: χιουμοριστικός (chioumoristikós) — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Hungarian: kaján — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Indonesian: jenaka — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Polish: z przymrużeniem oka — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Russian: насме́шливый (nasméšlivyj) — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Russian: лука́вый (lukávyj) — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Russian: шутливый (šutlivyj) — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Spanish: irónico — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Spanish: burlón — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Spanish: de broma — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Spanish: como chiste — witty, jocular, humorous
  • Swedish: med glimten i ögat — witty, jocular, humorous