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A dummy made of tar, which cannot be struck without getting oneself hopelessly stuck to it--from the story "Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox" by Joe Harris, as told by his fictional narrator, Uncle Remus.

Tar baby has become short hand for a situation better avoided than confronted.
The issue of immigration has become a tar baby for president Gearge W. Bush.
by thalio May 16, 2006
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May 3 Word of the Day
Internet persona(s) who happens to follow you and you happen to follow them back and maintain communication with and have a mutual liking for eachother whether it be friendship wise, etc. (Mutuals if more than one mutual)
Monica: Oh yay! I made a new mutual today because we started following & talking to eachother on twitter and we like eachother (so it seems).
by qtheresurrection March 25, 2015
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2
a situation almost impossible to get out of; a problem virtually unsolvable;
His political advisers told him to stay away from the controversy,
that it was a no-win cause, a β€œtar baby.”
by Richard April 18, 2004
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3
A sticky mess. Something unable to get away from.Alternate: Similar to a Catch-22. Damned if you do and damned if you dont. A mistaken notion or misunderstanding that immediately produces indignation.
Talking about un-wed teen pregnancy is a real tar baby
by jaatee July 31, 2006
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5
Now used as an insult to black people, the tar baby was originally a jet black baby doll (becaue it was made out of tar) used to trap Br'er Rabbit Rabbit in an American folk tale.

Tar baby can also be a term used to describe a "sticky" situation.
It's not racist to call an actual tar baby a tar baby! That's like saying it's racist to call Ritz "crackers" or chocolate sandwich cookies "Oreos"!
by PokeyMan December 06, 2010
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