tone
TOHN
Tone (noun) means the quality or character of a sound, especially its pitch, timbre, or emotional colouring. Example: “Her tone of voice made it clear she was annoyed.”
noun
1
The quality or character of a sound, especially its pitch, timbre, or emotional colouring.
"Her tone of voice made it clear she was annoyed."
"He answered in a calm, measured tone."
"The cello has a warm, rich tone that fills the whole hall."
2
The overall attitude or mood conveyed in writing or speech.
"The email struck an unnecessarily harsh tone."
"The meeting set a cooperative tone for the rest of the project."
"The author keeps a light, humorous tone throughout the whole book."
3
A shade or variation of a colour.
"The painting uses warm tones of orange and red."
"She chose a soft tone of blue for the nursery walls."
"The sunset painted the sky in deep tones of purple and gold."
verb
1
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."
"The teacher asked the class to tone down their noise during the test."
"We had to tone the language in the speech down for younger listeners."
How to use tone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow something sounds or feels — the pitch of a voice, the mood of a message, or a shade of colour.
Common mistake
In writing, "tone" refers to attitude conveyed, while "mood" usually refers to the feeling created in the reader — related but not identical.
Common pairings
tone of voice
tone down
set the tone
skin tone
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Word forms
- Plural
- tones
- Third person singular
- tones
- Past tense
- toned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her _____ of voice made it clear she was annoyed.
Etymology
From Latin tonus ("sound, tone"), from Ancient Greek tonos ("tension, pitch"), related to teino, "to stretch." A doublet of "tune."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for tone
See all rhymes for 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.
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