1
: relatively insensitive to differences in musical pitch
2
: having or showing an obtuse insensitivity or lack of perception particularly in matters of public sentiment, opinion, or taste
The White House long ago concluded that she is aloof and politically tone-deaf …—
Michael Duffy
Michael DuffyAt the time, I wondered how such an intelligent man could be so tone-deaf to the harsh realities facing the nation …—Peniel E. Joseph
Peniel E. Joseph
tone deafness
noun
Examples of tone-deaf in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lavender went on a listening tour with customers, who were quick to share that Intel had been tone-deaf.
—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 5 June 2024
But the Me Too–riffing story line involving Alice, which makes for some rough riding throughout the season, gets off to a particularly rocky and tone-deaf start here.
—Larry Fitzmaurice, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024
This is a failure of execution; Beijing has often been tone-deaf, leaving it particularly vulnerable to the vicissitudes of democratic politics.
—Audrye Wong, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021
According to a 1968 Times report, MacRae was originally cast to play a tone-deaf lounge singer for a single episode.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2024
Sure, the new ad is tone-deaf — after all, Apple rose to prominence by aligning itself with creative types.
—Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 9 May 2024
But critics have called it tone-deaf — with several marketing experts noting the campaign’s execution missed the mark.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 9 May 2024
But Met Gala was a tone-deaf charade of excess and hypocrisy.
—Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
Behind the incident was an innocent-enough but perhaps tone-deaf college student game called Senior Assassins.
—Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Apr. 2024
Fortune Editors, Fortune, 5 June 2024
But the Me Too–riffing story line involving Alice, which makes for some rough riding throughout the season, gets off to a particularly rocky and tone-deaf start here.
—Larry Fitzmaurice, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024
This is a failure of execution; Beijing has often been tone-deaf, leaving it particularly vulnerable to the vicissitudes of democratic politics.
—Audrye Wong, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021
According to a 1968 Times report, MacRae was originally cast to play a tone-deaf lounge singer for a single episode.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2024
Sure, the new ad is tone-deaf — after all, Apple rose to prominence by aligning itself with creative types.
—Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 9 May 2024
But critics have called it tone-deaf — with several marketing experts noting the campaign’s execution missed the mark.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 9 May 2024
But Met Gala was a tone-deaf charade of excess and hypocrisy.
—Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
Behind the incident was an innocent-enough but perhaps tone-deaf college student game called Senior Assassins.
—Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tone-deaf.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tone-deaf
Cite this Entry
“Tone-deaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tone-deaf. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
tone-deaf
adjective
: relatively insensitive to differences in musical pitch
tone deafness
noun
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