ˌtongue-in-ˈcheek adjective
a tongue-in-cheek remark is said as a joke, not seriously:
I love that kind of tongue-in-cheek wit.
—tongue-in-cheek adverb:
I think he was talking tongue-in-cheek.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

tongue in cheek
(with) tongue in cheek
in a way that is not serious, although it appears to be.
Karl explained, tongue in cheek, that he was busy with housecleaning.

if you say something tongue in cheek, what you have said is a joke, although it might seem to be serious.
'And we all know what a passionate love life I have!,' he said, tongue in cheek.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

tongue-in-cheek
tongue in cheek - if you say something tongue in cheek, what you have said is a joke, although it might seem to be serious.
She writes a very engaging and at times tongue-in-cheek account of her first meeting with the royal family.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

tongue in cheek
jokingly, insincerely, mockingly, not really meaning something
The comment by our teacher was tongue in cheek and she did not mean it.

The remark was made tongue in cheek and the man did not mean it.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

tongue-in-cheek
insincere, joking
The speaker made several tongue-in-cheek remarks about the politician.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

tongue in cheek
adj. phr. In an ironic or insincere manner.
When the faculty complained about the poor salary increments, the university's president said that he was not a psychiatrist, thus making an inappropriate tongue-in-cheek remark.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲