to the tune of
idiom
1
: using the tune of (a particular song)
Amusing lyrics were sung to the tune of "New York, New York."
2
informal
—used to emphasize that the amount or extent of something (such as money) is considerable
A telecommunications company funded the event to the tune of several million dollars.
He put his email address on the scoreboard, urging fans to give him their input (to the tune of 400 messages a day, all answered personally).—
Richard Hoffer
Richard HofferExamples of to the tune of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Court documents obtained by EW in 2024 revealed that at the time of his death, Jackson was in debt to the tune of $500 million, with some of the debt in default.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
In one instance, to the tune of 11 million people killed!
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 Nov. 2025
When Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park burst onto screens in 1993, audiences were swept away (to the tune of around $914 million) by its dinosaurs, drama — and location.
—Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
Still, concert promoters are nothing but persistent — there’s always someone knocking at the door, with a smile, and hoping circumstances may change to entice a dormant band to cash in for a new tour to the tune of tens, or potentially hundreds, of millions.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for to the tune of
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Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Nov. 2025
In one instance, to the tune of 11 million people killed!
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 Nov. 2025
When Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park burst onto screens in 1993, audiences were swept away (to the tune of around $914 million) by its dinosaurs, drama — and location.
—Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
Still, concert promoters are nothing but persistent — there’s always someone knocking at the door, with a smile, and hoping circumstances may change to entice a dormant band to cash in for a new tour to the tune of tens, or potentially hundreds, of millions.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for to the tune of
Cite this Entry
“To the tune of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/to%20the%20tune%20of. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.
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