English-English Dictionary

Meaning of the word tone in English

What does tone mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

tone

US /toʊn/
UK /toʊn/
"tone" picture

Noun

1.

a musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength

Example:
•
The singer's voice had a beautiful, clear tone.
•
He adjusted the guitar's tone to make it sound warmer.
Synonym:
pitchtimbrequalitysound
2.

the general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc.

Example:
•
The article had a serious and informative tone.
•
The meeting's tone was very positive and productive.
Synonym:
moodatmospherefeelcharacterspirit
3.

a shade of a color

Example:
•
The artist used various tones of blue in the painting.
•
Her skin has a warm, olive tone.
Synonym:
shadehuetintcolor

Verb

1.

to give a particular character or quality to something

Example:
•
The director managed to tone the film with a sense of mystery.
•
She tried to tone down her excitement.
Synonym:
modulateadjustsoftenmellow
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Related Word:
quarter tonetone poemtone down