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
The 2008 financial crisis saw Lehman turn to a bankruptcy to the tune of $600 billion into the upheaval of the world’s financial infrastructure.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
Nyla Martin remembers the days when her cousins would do her hair to the tune of American Idol on the TV.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026
The group is pushing for ECS reform because, its members argue, the failure to increase the formula’s base input has shifted costs onto municipalities to the tune of $820 million since 2013.
—Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
Isom has paid down debt well ahead of schedule, deleveraging the balance sheet to the tune of $17 billion since mid-2021, a pace that would have seemed improbable a few years ago when many creditors believed American’s bankruptcy might be imminent.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2026
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David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
Nyla Martin remembers the days when her cousins would do her hair to the tune of American Idol on the TV.
—Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026
The group is pushing for ECS reform because, its members argue, the failure to increase the formula’s base input has shifted costs onto municipalities to the tune of $820 million since 2013.
—Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
Isom has paid down debt well ahead of schedule, deleveraging the balance sheet to the tune of $17 billion since mid-2021, a pace that would have seemed improbable a few years ago when many creditors believed American’s bankruptcy might be imminent.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2026
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 3 Mar. 2026.
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