Tongue-in-cheek (Adjective)
Meaning
Cleverly amusing in tone; "a bantering tone"; "facetious remarks"; "tongue-in-cheek advice".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- John's tongue-in-cheek comment about the "excellent" cafeteria food was met with eye-rolling and laughter from his coworkers.
- The comedian's stand-up routine was full of tongue-in-cheek jokes about marriage and relationships.
- With a tongue-in-cheek grin, she suggested that he take up knitting to relax.
- His sarcastic reply that he was "thrilled" to be doing homework was clearly tongue-in-cheek.
- The novelist's tongue-in-cheek portrayal of bureaucracy in her novel was wickedly funny and relatable.