How to use tattoo in a sentence

40 example sentences · noun, verb

Tattoo means an image made on a body part, usually the skin with ink and a needle. Example: “Jones tattoos one into the gap in left; that will clear the bases.”

Examples of tattoo by meaning

nounAn image made on a body part, usually the skin with ink and a needle.

Almost a century and a half after the De Soto Expedition, Joutel (Cox, 1905, II: 139–140), one of La Salle’s men, reacted to the Caddoes in much the same way as had De la Vega, finding their tattooes particularly repulsive.1961, W[illiam] W[ilmon] Newcomb, Jr., “The Caddo Confederacies: East Texas”, in The Indians of Texas: From Prehistoric to Modern Times...
He'd be able to tell me in ten seconds whether someone was worth a tattoo or not.1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, →ISBN, page 22
And here's a solution to an age old tattoo problem.1997, George Carlin, Brain Droppings, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 31

verbTo hit the ball hard, as if to figuratively leave a tattoo on the ball.

Jones tattoos one into the gap in left; that will clear the bases.

nounA signal played five minutes before taps (lights out).

Study goes on until tattoo, which, when Pops was at the Point, was sounded at 9.30, followed by taps at 10.2017, Charles King, Cadet Days

nounA signal by drum or bugle ordering soldiers to return to their quarters.

The bumblebee's mane glowed in the morning light—each hair sharp and distinct to Eragon—and its blurred wings generated a gentle bombilation, like a tattoo played on a drum.2008, Christopher Paolini, “Rider and Ra'zac”, in Brisingr, page 69

nounA rhythmic tapping.

the right hand became restless and began to beat out a silent tattoo upon the tabletop1935, Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night

More sentences with tattoo

The bouncer was a big, buff dude with tattoos, a shaved head, and a serious scowl.From the entry buff
He has a tattoo on his chest, and another on his upper back.From the entry chest
The barman was a big, beefy guy with his sleeves rolled up and tattoos on his arms.From the entry beefy
She had tattoos the full length of her arms. He was prosecuted to the full extent of the law.From the entry full
Having a tattoo was Mathilda's personal rebellion against her parents.From the entry rebellion
The man was so heavily tattooed that it was almost impossible to find any bare skin on his body.From the entry tattooed
Those obscene tattoos are going to blight your job prospects.From the entry blight
She was tattooed from top to toe.From the entry from top to toe
One of them was a hulking brute of a man, heavily tattooed and with a hardened face that practically screamed "I just got out of jail."From the entry brute
You know that for tattooing, we are supposed to use disposable needles, right?2022, Hunter Ng, As Coarse as Emporium, Jettison Books, →ISBN. From the entry lah
This means microblading my eyebrows, which is a semi-permanent tattoo of individual eyebrow hairs.2021, Dr Philippa Kaye, Doctors Get Cancer Too, Vie Books, page 125. From the entry microblading
Vattooing is done by applying an airbrush tattoo to the area after a Brazilian Bikini Wax.(Can we date this quote?), Monica Haim, “Vajazzling: Vagina Bling, In?”, in Mamiverse.com, archived from the original on 14 Jun 2021. From the entry vattoo
We inscribe words on bark, papyri, codices, human skin (tattoos), books, magazines, bracelets, and automobiles.2020 January 29, Douglas Groothuis, “Texts, Graphics, and Culture: On the Decline of Reading and Civilization”, in Douglas Groothuis…. From the entry inscripturation
And she's got a tattoo! exclaims the buttoned-up Edwardian Lady Button.2019 April 15, Stuart Jeffries, “Ghosts review - a silly sitcom that will make you die laughing”, in Guardian Online, archived from the…. From the entry herbert
His tattoos covering his chest and abs made him irresistible while his V line added to it.2014, Shianne Nicole, Beauty and the Styles, →ISBN. From the entry V line
And what do you know, the one with the love-beads had Acey tattooed on one arm.2014, Dell Shannon, With Intent to Kill, →ISBN. From the entry love-beads
These battles are masterminded by tattooed gang leaders called shot callers.2014, Carl Sifakis, The Encyclopedia of American Prisons, page 236. From the entry shot caller
So how could this congregation of crusty kids feel justified in having ichthys tattoos?2013 March 26, Carly Lewis, “In Brooklyn, a Punk Church Tries to Redefine Religious Faith”, in The Atlantic, archived from the original on…. From the entry ichthys
No visible tattoos, sovereigns, mismatched jewellery, scrunchies, large clips or hoop earrings.2011 July 1, Caroline Davies, “Harrods 'ladies' code' drives out sales assistant”, in The Guardian. From the entry sovereign
I have new pair of tights that look like dragon tattoos.2011, Suzanne Samples, Pivot, page 191. From the entry boutfit
Self-made freaks like excessively tattooed people created and cultivated their freakdom.2011, Anne Rothe, Popular Trauma Culture: Selling the Pain of Others in the Mass Media, Rutgers University Press, →ISBN, page 79. From the entry freakdom
And it had been the witness ID of his tattoos that had sunk him.2010, Adam Shand, King of Thieves, page 79. From the entry cleanskin
I've been visiting a couple of featherwoods, all bad tattoos and twisted intentions.2010, Kenneth E. Hartman, Mother California: A Story of Redemption Behind Bars, page 68. From the entry featherwood
In the early evening, the bar fills with regulars trading anecdotes with tattooed, comely, competence-oozing barmaidens.2008 July 30 – August 5, The San Francisco Bay Guardian, volume 42, number 44, page 34. From the entry barmaiden
"Who's Precious?" she beefed when she saw the big tattoo running down my inner arm.2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 131. From the entry beef
In no time they fired away all the gory intimate details, down to his rose tattoo.2006, Charlotte Wilson, The Greatest Man I Never Met, page 70. From the entry gory
This big moose, with biceps and a tattoo, shaves his legs.2002, Andy Schell, My Best Man, Kensington Books, page 148. From the entry hotski
"Don't look now, boss, but that gal's got a tattoo on her left bazoomba."1999, Myrna Temte, The Gal Who Took the West, New York, N.Y.: Silhouette Books, →ISBN, pages 11–12. From the entry bazoomba
Our leather pants, tattoos, track marks and distorted guitars were never going to make it.1996, Clinton Walker, The Secret History of Australian Independent Music: 1977-1991. From the entry dullardry
Most "tatted up" convicts wear long sleeve shirts to cover the tattoos and track marks.1994, The Voice of California Justice, volume 41, number 3, California State Judges, Marshals and Constables Association. From the entry tatted
His knuckles are tattooed, his hands the oaken tools of the boxer he still is, now as a coach.2025 December 21, Mark Sappenfield, “English voters scatter from the center, strengthening extremes”, in The Christian Science Monitor. From the entry oaken
When you have eczema and do tattoos?2024 March 28, Benjamin Tan, “In Their Own Skin: Portraits of Eczema in Singapore”, in ricemedia.co, archived from the original on 26 Nov…. From the entry meh
Everyone in my school flew rebel flags and had rebel flag tattoos and I bandwagoned and got the tattoo.2020 June 14, Alaa Elassar, quoting Jennifer Tucker, “A Kentucky tattoo shop is offering to cover up hate and gang symbols for free”, in…. From the entry bandwagon

Meaning of tattoo

noun An image made on a body part, usually the skin with ink and a needle.
noun A method of decorating a body part, usually the skin, by inserting colored substances under the surface with a sharp instrument (usually a solenoid-driven needle).
verb To apply a tattoo to (someone or something).

Full definition of tattoo

Questions about tattoo in a sentence

How do you use tattoo in a sentence?: Tattoo is used as a noun and verb. For example: “Jones tattoos one into the gap in left; that will clear the bases.”
What is a short sentence with tattoo?: “She was tattooed from top to toe.”
What does tattoo mean?: Tattoo means an image made on a body part, usually the skin with ink and a needle.

Adapted from Wiktionary: tattoo (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use tattoo in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/tattoo. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.