toothier; toothiest
1
: having or showing prominent teeth
toothy grin
2
toothily adverb

Examples of toothy in a Sentence

a selection of gourmet cookies and other toothy delights
Recent Examples on the Web Chalamet plays Paul Atreides, who journeys through space to the desert planet Arrakis, where treachery — and giant, toothy sandworms — await. Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 Angels dissolved into clouds, chimney sweeps became black blotches that seeped into toothy mice, then trailed over stars and Christmas hearts and trees. Thomas Korsgaard, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 From a lemon shark sharing a toothy grin at dusk, to a green-blue mahi-mahi ambushing sardines, the 2024 Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) Awards showcase the stunning beauty and diversity of our world’s oceans. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024 The toothy fish weighed in at 18.6 pounds and was 54.75 inches long, officials said. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 9 Feb. 2024 Heavier tackle, a steel leader, long pliers and protective gloves are recommended for tangling with these toothy giants. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 This includes not just salmon but also creatures like lampreys—primitive, jawless fish with toothy mouths that suction to their hosts. Solutions for migratory fish exist, like fish ladders or fishways, which provide a detour in the form of ascending pools. Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ars Technica, 11 Jan. 2024 But Byas’ narrator isn’t plagued by psychedelic witches and toothy trashcans, rather by untrustworthy men and erroneous assumptions. Anne Kniggendorf, Kansas City Star, 18 Feb. 2024 In photos obtained by PEOPLE, Bongiovi posed with a toothy grin and a big thumbs up while wearing army green cargo pants, an orange puffer jacket and a blue baseball cap. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toothy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of toothy was in 1530

Dictionary Entries Near toothy

Cite this Entry

“Toothy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toothy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

toothy

adjective
toothier; toothiest
: having or showing many usually large teeth
a toothy grin
toothily adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!