tone

25 synonyms and 1 antonym for tone, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The quality or character of a sound, especially its pitch, timbre, or emotional colouring.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

sound quality note pitch look feel step feeling spirit smell

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

resonance strengthen shade timber flavor flavour chant

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

timbre inflection tint tincture tonus intone inflect modulate

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The quality or character of a sound, especially its pitch, timbre, or emotional colouring.

“Her tone of voice made it clear she was annoyed.”

timbre sound quality note pitch inflection resonance look feel step feeling spirit smell strengthen shade timber flavor flavour chant tint tincture tonus intone inflect

2. verb

To adjust or soften the character or intensity of something (often "tone down").

“You might want to tone down that comment before you send it.”

inflect chant strengthen modulate intone

Opposites

heighten

How to use tone

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

tone of voice tone down set the tone skin tone

Etymology

From Latin tonus ("sound, tone"), from Ancient Greek tonos ("tension, pitch"), related to teino, "to stretch." A doublet of "tune."

Full origin of tone →

Frequently asked questions

What does “tone” mean?

The word “tone” means the quality or character of a sound, especially its pitch, timbre, or emotional colouring. In plain terms, how something sounds or feels — the pitch of a voice, the mood of a message, or a shade of colour.

How do you pronounce “tone”?

“Tone” is pronounced TOHN (/ˈtoʊ̯n/ in IPA).

How do you use “tone” in a sentence?

Here is “tone” used in a sentence: “Her tone of voice made it clear she was annoyed.”

What part of speech is “tone”?

Depending on how it is used, “tone” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “tone” come from?

The word “tone” comes from Ancient Greek. From Latin tonus ("sound, tone"), from Ancient Greek tonos ("tension, pitch"), related to teino, "to stretch." A doublet of "tune.".

Is “tone” a common word?

“Tone” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

How many meanings does “tone” have?

“Tone” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the quality or character of a sound, especially its pitch, timbre, or emotional colouring.

What is the difference between tone and pitch?

Pitch is simply how high or low a sound is, set by its frequency. Tone is broader — the overall quality and character of a sound, including its pitch but also its timbre and emotional colour. Two instruments can play the same pitch yet have very different tones.

What is the difference between tone and timbre?

Timbre is the specific quality that lets you tell a violin from a flute playing the same note. Tone is a wider term for the character of a sound overall, and timbre is one part of it. In everyday use, people often say 'tone' when they really mean timbre.

What is tone of voice?

Tone of voice is the emotional colour a speaker gives their words — warm, sharp, sarcastic, or gentle. The same sentence can sound kind or cutting depending on it. This sense grows directly from tone's core meaning: the character and feeling carried by a sound.

Related words

atonal diatonic intonation intone monotone ringtone tonal tonality tone-deaf tone-deafness toneme tonic tonicity tune

People also searched

look feel sound step feeling quality note spirit smell pitch strengthen shade

Nearby words

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