intonation

noun
UK: /ˌɪntəˈneɪʃən/
US: /ˌɪntəˈneɪʃən/

  1. The rise and fall of your voice when you speak.

    1. Her intonation showed she was asking a question.
    2. The speaker used a lively intonation to keep the audience engaged with the topic.

  2. The way in which someone says words, showing what they think or feel.

    1. I could hear the doubt in his intonation.
    2. The actor's intonation conveyed a sense of sadness during the scene.

  3. The degree to which a musical instrument is in tune.

    1. The guitarist checked the intonation of his instrument before the performance.
    2. Poor intonation can ruin the sound of a string quartet, making it sound discordant.

Synonyms

modulation pitch inflection accent tone

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "intonation" in English means: The rise and fall of your voice when you speak., The way in which someone says words, showing what they think or feel., The degree to which a musical instrument is in tune..

The phonetic transcription of "intonation" is /ˌɪntəˈneɪʃən/ in British English and /ˌɪntəˈneɪʃən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "intonation": modulation, pitch, inflection, accent, tone.

Example usage of "intonation": "Her intonation showed she was asking a question.". More examples on the page.