set the tone
idiom
: to establish a quality, feeling, or attitude by a manner of speaking or writing
Her lighthearted question set the tone for the rest of the interview.
Examples of set the tone in a Sentence
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That essentially set the tone for the Dolphins’ running game, which finished with 241 yards on the day.
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Miami Herald, 7 Dec. 2025
Her amour fou with lothario bartender Jax Taylor set the tone for a soap whose throughline was infidelity, with the women repeatedly sleuthing out their boyfriends’ indiscretions as the men tried to cover for each other.
—Judy Berman, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Giant set the tone with its story of identity and migration — themes that resurface throughout the program.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 4 Dec. 2025
The offensive line has set the tone for that production, featuring four-star offensive tackle John Turntine III, who recently signed with Texas.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Dec. 2025
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Miami Herald, 7 Dec. 2025
Her amour fou with lothario bartender Jax Taylor set the tone for a soap whose throughline was infidelity, with the women repeatedly sleuthing out their boyfriends’ indiscretions as the men tried to cover for each other.
—Judy Berman, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Giant set the tone with its story of identity and migration — themes that resurface throughout the program.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 4 Dec. 2025
The offensive line has set the tone for that production, featuring four-star offensive tackle John Turntine III, who recently signed with Texas.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for set the tone
Cite this Entry
“Set the tone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20the%20tone. Accessed 9 Dec. 2025.
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