tone
noun
\ ˈtōn
\
\
Definition of tone
(Entry 1 of 3)
1
: vocal or musical sound of a specific quality
spoke in low tones masculine tones
especially
: musical sound with respect to timbre and manner of expression
2a
: a sound of definite pitch and vibration
b
: whole step
3
: accent or inflection expressive of a mood or emotion
4
: style or manner of expression in speaking or writing
seemed wise to adopt a conciliatory tone
5
: a particular pitch or change of pitch constituting an element in the intonation of a phrase or sentence
high tone low tone mid tone low-rising tone falling tone
6
: the pitch of a word often used to express differences of meaning
7a(1)
: color quality or value
(2)
: a tint or shade of color
b
: the color that appreciably modifies a hue or white or black
gray walls of greenish tone
8
: the effect in painting of light and shade together with color
9a
: normal tension or responsiveness to stimuli
specifically
: the state of partial contraction of skeletal muscle at rest : muscular tonus
b
: strength, firmness, or tautness of a part of the body (such as the muscles or skin)
exercising to improve muscle tone the shape and tone of the arms
c
: the state of a living body or of any of its organs or parts in which the functions are healthy and performed with due vigor
10a
: general character, quality, or trend
a city's upbeat tone
b
: frame of mind : mood
c
: healthy elasticity : resiliency
tone
verb
toned;
toning
Definition of tone (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: to soften or reduce in intensity, color, appearance, or sound : mellow
—often used with down tone down the bright colorsThe candidate toned down his harsh rhetoric.
2
: to impart tone to : strengthen
medicine to tone up the system
especially
: to increase the firmness, strength, or tautness of (a part of the body)
She lifted weights to tone her arms.
3
: to change the normal silver image of (something, such as a photographic print) into a colored image
4
: to give a particular intonation or inflection to
5
: intone
Tone
biographical name
\ ˈtōn
\
\
Definition of Tone (Entry 3 of 3)
(Theobald) Wolfe 1763–1798 Irish revolutionary
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Synonyms for tone
Synonyms: Noun
fashion, locution, manner, mode, phraseology, style, vein
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Examples of tone in a Sentence
Noun
He replied in a friendly tone. They spoke in hushed tones. Don't use that rude tone of voice with me. the low tones of an organ The speech had religious tones to it. The author's tone shows her attitude toward the subject. The professor's condescending tone irritated some students. a bright, dark, or light tone of blue the soft tones of the painting
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
New takes on the hue bring in light to deep pinks, or the ochre tones of a sunset. — Washington Post, "RIGHT AT HOME: Terracotta makes a color comeback," 20 Aug. 2019 But few other topics escape the tone of contentiousness pervasive in town politics these days. — Charlie Brennan, The Denver Post, "Mayor, two trustees targeted in Nederland recall petitions," 16 Aug. 2019 But the characters clung to the past: The show’s neutral, faded colors were chosen, according to costume designer Rita Riggs, to evoke the sepia tones of an old family photograph album. — Joanna Scutts, Curbed, "The shows we’ve lived by," 14 Aug. 2019 Curtains and a table cloth were made in the same tone of blue. — Vanessa Lawrence, ELLE Decor, "Christie's Makes Antiques Cool with Help from Markarian and CeCe Barfield," 12 Aug. 2019 McConnell was understandably concerned about these threats and posted the video to his campaign's Twitter account to demonstrate the threatening tone of the protest. — Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, "Republicans suspend Twitter ad spending after boneheaded video takedown," 8 Aug. 2019 His surprisingly active Instagram account, which has the tone of an endearing oldster fumbling with a new gadget, features his many opinions, some of them adulatory, some bitchy. — Jessica Iredale, Town & Country, "Ralph Rucci: The Rise, and Fall and Rise Again of an American Couturier," 7 Aug. 2019 Its vivid colors and ultra-glossy icing both contrast and match the rich tones of the Dolce & Gabbana Sicily 58 and Sicily 62. — Harper's BAZAAR, "A Guide to Sicily’s Can’t-Miss Hotspots," 6 Aug. 2019 In the United States, debate about gun control following a mass shooting has taken on the tone of a Samuel Beckett play, and so have the memes about it. — Emma Grey Ellis, WIRED, "How '30-50 Feral Hogs' Became the New 'Thoughts and Prayers'," 6 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
That might result in some chin music, but Baez likely won't tone it down anytime soon. — Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, "Celebrating National Hot Dog Day by examining the biggest hot-doggers in sports," 17 July 2019 Alex was really helpful in letting me find out just that, and telling me when to tone it down or bring it up again. — Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Crawl' Star Kaya Scodelario on the 'Skins' Fib That Launched Her Career," 15 July 2019 While the judges were initially skeptical about the blue color palette, they were relieved to see that Megan toned it down with deeper blues and cozy grays. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "Watch the Drabbest Rooms Become Fab on Best Room Wins Episode Three," 16 May 2019 Nothing has been toned down, nothing has been pulled back. — Nigel Smith, PEOPLE.com, "Tony Winner Lena Hall on Going from Opera to Bat Out of Hell: 'You Can't Put Me in a Box'," 8 Aug. 2019 The trumpet mushrooms are dreamy and the tarragon sauce pleasant, but the overall dish is too toned down. — Daliah Singer, The Know, "Restaurant review: The food satisfies, but Jovanina’s good looks are what really entice diners," 6 Aug. 2019 But the owners toned things down in 1985 to concentrate on food, and readers of the Express-News gave Good Time Charlie’s the Burger Madness crown in a tournament-style throwdown in 2012. — Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, "52 Weeks of Burgers: Good Time Charlie’s," 2 Aug. 2019 Even the most outrageous of trends can be toned down and incorporated into one’s wardrobe with the right approach. — Vogue, "Diane Kruger Has a City Take on the Cowboy Boot," 18 July 2019 So Lloyd toned it down in beautifully obvious fashion, the slow clap underscored by small, spontaneous group hugs and a few soft high-fives along the bench. — Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, "Americans had nothing to apologize for in this World Cup victory," 16 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tone.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.