tone

noun

ˈtōn How to pronounce tone (audio)
Definition of tonenext
1
as in style
a distinctive way of putting ideas into words the angry tone of his letter makes it clear he doesn't want to speak to me ever again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in shade
a property that becomes apparent when light falls on an object and by which things that are identical in form can be distinguished fall fashions in deep jewel tones

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in self
the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others all that showbiz glitz is out of keeping with the tone of the college

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tone Of course, brunettes hair has enjoyed some serious experimentation over the past year, with various graduations of the tone making waves. — Elle Turner, Glamour, 4 July 2026 Yet this didn’t prevent him from obsessively thinking about the United States and what defined its ethos, tone, and literature. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026 The second half brought a different tone to the joyful opening 45 minutes. — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026 Soft tones like blush, sage, and pale blue reflect light and add warmth and character. — The Spruce, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tone
  1. style
  2. shade
  3. self
  4. mode
  5. color
  6. nature
  7. manner
  8. hue
Noun
  • After Canada suffered its most deadly shooting in Nova Scotia in 2020, where 22 people were killed, the government put in place major reforms and bans on assault-style weapons.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 12 July 2026
  • England plays with a faster and sometimes more direct style and has been carried by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, who each have six goals.
    — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of style
Noun
  • All shades, all colors, 4 million faces surrounding them with resounding support and unrequited love.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Among those accessories, Middleton sported the Gabrielle earrings from Sézane in a coffee shade, Halcyon Days aquamarine and gold bangle bracelet and a Sézane howlite cuff.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 July 2026
Definition of shade
Noun
  • The robot’s success rate at a self-tapping nut loading station has reached 98 percent, reducing the gap with human workers’ qualification rate to just one percentage point.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
  • Maybe that hard-won self-belief is exactly what keeps her so grounded.
    — Riann Phillip, Vogue, 15 July 2026
Definition of self
Noun
  • Existing College Football Points can still be used elsewhere in the game but will no longer apply to these specific modes.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Energy-save mode But thriving in the heat is not only about what coaches, medical staff and performance staff do for the players.
    — Alan McCall, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of mode
Noun
  • Choose from a mix of Sterling Forever's classics, including tennis bracelets and necklaces, pendant styles, studs, hoops and more accented with beautiful stone colors.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
  • Shadows will soften, colors will become muted, and daylight will take on an unusual quality that many first-time eclipse watchers find surprising.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of color
Noun
  • That was one of the main goals when designing the app, since an internet connection isn't always guaranteed when exploring nature in Michigan.
    — Jack Springgate, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • The limited nature of the aquariums’ beluga habitats affects the whales both physically and mentally, with one of the main problems being boredom, said Marino, who is also a neuroscientist.
    — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of nature
Noun
  • The findings from that autopsy – along with Wells’ cause and manner of death – are not yet available, as the medical examiner’s office is waiting for the results of routine toxicology tests.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • In the few years following the discovery of ‘Oumuamua’s bizarre motion, Farnocchia and his collaborators began noticing that multiple asteroids orbiting close to Earth also accelerated in a cometlike manner.
    — Darryl Z. Seligman, Scientific American, 10 July 2026
Definition of manner
Noun
  • Karlie Kloss looks super chic in different hues of blue on July 15 in New York City.
    — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
  • Trend forecasting platform, WGSN, named it color of the year, and after seeing Matthieu Blazy’s use of the blue-green hue in his Chanel shows, everyone is incorporating a touch of teal into their wardrobes this summer.
    — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 16 July 2026
Definition of hue

Browse Nearby Words

tonal
tone
toned-down
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tone. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tone

Nglish: Translation of tone for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tone

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