Synonyms for

Tongues

Verb / tʌŋz / Another word for tongues — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Tongues are the movable organs in the mouth that people use for speaking, eating, and tasting.

Synonyms & similar words

spit artificiallanguage lingua clapper tongue knife naturallanguage glossa speech language idiom vernacular dialect argot jargon patois slang cant lingo vocabulary lexicon phrasing expression utterance vocalization voice talk

Synonyms by register

Formal

languages dialects vernaculars

Informal

talk chatter gab spiel

Literary

oratory eloquence discourse

Antonyms

silence quiet stillness mute speechlessness

Common collocations

  • foreign tongues
  • mother tongue
  • lose one's tongue
  • hold one's tongue
  • tongues wagging
  • tongues of fire
  • speak in tongues

Word family

noun tongue
verb tongue
adjective tongued

Usage note

The word 'tongues' can refer to literal body parts, languages, or figuratively to speech. Be mindful of the context to avoid ambiguity.

Example sentences

  1. She spoke in tongues when she was praying at church.
  2. The doctor asked the patient to stick out their tongue.
  3. I burnt my tongue on the hot soup.
  4. The language has many different tongues.
  5. The dog licked my hand with its tongue.

Quotes

  • The tongue like a sharp knife... Kills without drawing blood. - Buddha
  • Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. - Mother Teresa
  • The tongue is the only instrument that gets sharper with use. - Washington Irving

Try these popular words

the and that for you with was this are have not from

Practice

Play the Word Synonyms game · Choose level (start near 1)

Worksheets

Grade 4 · Grade 5 · Grade 6

Topics

Guides

Explore more words