tonic

15 synonyms and 1 antonym for tonic, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A drink or medicine believed to restore health, energy, or well-being.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

pop fresh

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

soda keynote refreshing

Rare, literary or technical

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

restorative tonal soda pop accented soda water tonic water quinine water brisk refreshful bracing

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A drink or medicine believed to restore health, energy, or well-being.

“Grandma swore by her herbal tonic for colds.”

pop soda keynote restorative tonal soda pop accented soda water tonic water quinine water

2. adj

Restorative or invigorating.

“A brisk walk had a tonic effect on her mood.”

brisk fresh refreshing accented tonal refreshful bracing

Opposites

atonic

How to use tonic

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

gin and tonic tonic water a tonic for the nerves

Etymology

From Ancient Greek tonikos, from tonos ("tension, pitch") — 18th-century doctors linked healthy muscle "tension" to overall vigor, giving us the medical sense.

Full origin of tonic →

Frequently asked questions

What does “tonic” mean?

The word “tonic” means a drink or medicine believed to restore health, energy, or well-being. In plain terms, something restorative (a tonic drink or effect), a fizzy mixer (tonic water), or the home note of a musical key.

How do you pronounce “tonic”?

“Tonic” is pronounced TO-nihk (/ˈtɑ.nɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “tonic” in a sentence?

Here is “tonic” used in a sentence: “Grandma swore by her herbal tonic for colds.”

What part of speech is “tonic”?

Depending on how it is used, “tonic” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “tonic” come from?

The word “tonic” dates back to around 1700 and comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek tonikos, from tonos ("tension, pitch") — 18th-century doctors linked healthy muscle "tension" to overall vigor, giving us the medical sense.

Is “tonic” a common word?

“Tonic” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “tonic” have?

“Tonic” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a drink or medicine believed to restore health, energy, or well-being.

Related words

tonal center

People also searched

fresh pop soda refreshing keynote brisk tonal bracing restorative

Nearby words

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