noun
tone
TOHN
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."
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."
3
A shade or variation of a colour.
"The painting uses warm tones of orange and red."
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."
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
Word Forms
toned past tense, tones plural, tones singular
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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."