tone

noun
UK: /təʊn/
US: /toʊn/

  1. The quality of someone's voice that expresses their feelings or thoughts.

    1. Her tone was very sad. [ ] [ ]
    2. I didn't like the accusatory tone in his voice when he blamed me. [ ] [ ]

  2. A quality in the sound of a musical instrument or voice.

    1. The guitar has a warm tone. [ ] [ ]
    2. The singer's beautiful tone resonated throughout the concert hall during her performance. [ ] [ ]

  3. A shade or variety of a colour.

    1. The wall was a light tone of blue. [ ] [ ]
    2. The artist used a variety of tones to create depth in the painting. [ ] [ ]

  4. The general character or attitude of something, such as a piece of writing or a situation.

    1. The tone of the letter was formal. [ ] [ ]
    2. The overall tone of the meeting was positive and encouraging for future collaborations. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

manner style quality color shade tenor spirit feeling intonation sound
tone verb

  1. To give a particular tone or quality to something.

    1. She toned her muscles at the gym. [ ] [ ]
    2. The red filter toned the photograph, giving it a vintage look. [ ] [ ]

  2. To match or blend in colour.

    1. The curtains tone well with the walls. [ ] [ ]
    2. Her outfit was carefully planned so that all the colors toned harmoniously. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "tone" in English means: The quality of someone's voice that expresses their feelings or thoughts., A quality in the sound of a musical instrument or voice., A shade or variety of a colour., The general character or attitude of something, such as a piece of writing or a situation..

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

Synonyms for "tone": manner, style, quality, color, shade, tenor, spirit, feeling, intonation, sound.

Example usage of "tone": "Her tone was very sad.". More examples on the page.