Definition of TONE (original) (raw)
1
: vocal or musical sound of a specific quality
especially : musical sound with respect to timbre and manner of expression
2
a
: a sound of definite pitch and vibration
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
6
: the pitch of a word often used to express differences of meaning
7
a(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
9
a
: 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
10
a
: general character, quality, or trend
1
: to soften or reduce in intensity, color, appearance, or sound : mellow —often used with down
tone down the bright colors
The 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
1
: to assume a pleasing color quality or tint
2
: to blend or harmonize in color
Synonyms of tone
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As his tone grows more drawn-out and guttural, and Thomas’ lyrical touch gives way to percussive attack, the rhythm section ups the ante, picking up speed like a gathering tornado. —
Levi Dayan, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian struck a defiant tone as negotiations proceeded Sunday. —Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 May 2026
Micro shorts, crop tops, oversize outerwear and minidresses are the core of the offering, with blue and red as the season’s anchor tones. —Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 12 May 2026 The upper arms are constantly in a state of motion, which tones the muscles in use. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tone
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English ton, tone "musical sound or note, pitch," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French ton, tun, toen, borrowed from Latin tonus "strain, tension, musical pitch, note," borrowed from Greek tónos "stretching, tightening, exertion, pitch of the voice, accent in a syllable," nominal derivative from the base of teínein "to stretch, extend" — more at tenant entry 1
Note: As the Oxford English Dictionary, first edition, points out, the phonetic development of tone is peculiar. The normal outcome of medieval French ton in modern English should have been *toun, parallel to sound, noun. If, on the other hand, the vowel of ton had merged with Middle English long close o, the result should have been *toon; toone (glossed as Latin tonus) is in fact rhymed with boone and moone in the rhyming dictionary of Peter Levins (Manipulus Vocabulorum, 1570). The Oxford editors are probably correct in suggesting that the present form of the word is due to repeated reshaping under the influence of the Latin source. Cf. tune entry 1.
Verb
derivative of tone entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1674, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 5
Time Traveler
The first known use of tone was in the 14th century
Browse Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
“Tone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tone. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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