set the tone

phrase

: 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

Recent Examples on the Web

Stock futures steadied as investors turned cautious ahead of Nvidia's earnings, which could set the tone for the AI trade heading into the fall. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026

Thorgesen hopes his veteran defense continues to set the tone as the offense finds its rhythm, having to replace nearly all its skill-position starters from a year ago. — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Odeyingbo set the tone with his quarterback hit, and then Daniel Hardy added a tackle for loss. — Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Later in the service, the choir would sing a foot-stomping, hand-clapping rendition of a gospel song that set the tone for the preacher to follow with his gospel message. — Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for set the tone

• acetone
• anglophone
• baritone
• bourguignon
• buspirone
• chaperon
• chaperone
• cobblestone
• collarbone
• cornerstone
• cortisone
• dictaphone