What does "tar" mean?
A black, oily, sticky, viscous substance, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons derived from organic materials such as wood, peat, or coal.; Coal tar.
Tar
/tɑː/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A black, oily, sticky, viscous substance, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons derived from organic materials such as wood, peat, or coal.; Coal tar.
- Grammar: tar is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: mariner, pitch, seaman, ab.
- Useful contrasts: clear, exonerate, extract.
- Usage evidence: The tar won't come off. I'm going to have to take this skirt to the dry cleaner.
How to use "tar"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tar" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "tar" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "tar" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tar" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "tar" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "mariner" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "tar", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A black, oily, sticky, viscous substance, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons derived from organic materials such as wood, peat, or coal.; Coal tar. countable, uncountable, usually
- 2 A program for archiving files, common on Unix systems.
- 3 A Persian long-necked, waisted string instrument, shared by many cultures and countries in the Middle East and the Caucasus.
"MOHAMMAD REZA SHAJARIAN (Thursday) Renowned in his native Iran, the vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian has been performing since the 1960s, and is now widely considered one of the finest classical Persian singers in the world. Mr. Shajarian’s son, Homayoun Shajarian, will provide additional vocals and tombak (goblet drum), while Ensemble Ava, a four-piece, will contribute additional instrumentation on the ancient Persian instruments barbat (short-necked lute), tar (long-necked lute), kamancheh (spike fiddle) and daf (frame drum)."
- 4 A single-headed round frame drum originating in North Africa and the Middle East.
- 5 Alternative form of tara (“Indian coin”). alt-of, alternative
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a man who serves as a sailor wordnet
- 7 A black, oily, sticky, viscous substance, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons derived from organic materials such as wood, peat, or coal.; A solid residual byproduct of tobacco smoke. uncountable, usually
- 8 A file produced by such a program.
- 9 any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue wordnet
- 10 A sailor, because of the traditional tarpaulin clothes. countable, dated, slang, uncountable
"Shines in all climates like a star; In senates bold, and fierce in war; A land commander, and a tar."
- 11 Black tar, a form of heroin. uncountable
Verb
- 1 To coat with tar. transitive
- 2 To create a tar archive. transitive
- 3 coat with tar wordnet
- 4 To besmirch. transitive
"The allegations tarred his name, even though he was found innocent."
Proper Noun
- 1 Initialism of Tibet Autonomous Region, an administrative region of China. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism, sometimes
- 2 A village in Hungary.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The tar won't come off. I'm going to have to take this skirt to the dry cleaner."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "tar"?
Common synonyms include: mariner, pitch, seaman, ab, able seaman, able-bodied seaman.
How do you use "tar" in a sentence?
The tar won't come off. I'm going to have to take this skirt to the dry cleaner.
How do you pronounce "tar"?
Pronounced /tɑː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
PIE word *dóru From Middle English ter, terr, tarr, from Old English teoru, from Proto-West Germanic *teru, from Proto-Germanic *terwą, from Proto-Indo-European *derwo-, from *dóru (“tree”). See also Saterland Frisian Taar, West Frisian tarre, tar, Dutch teer, German Teer; also Welsh derw (“oaks”), Lithuanian dervà (“pinewood, resin”), Russian де́рево (dérevo, “tree”), Bulgarian дърво́ (dǎrvó, “tree”). More at tree.
Etymology 2
Abbreviation of tape archive.
Etymology 3
Borrowed from Persian تار (târ). Doublet of tantra.
Etymology 4
From Arabic طار (ṭār).