tonal

adjective

ton·​al ˈtō-nᵊl How to pronounce tonal (audio)
1
: of or relating to tone, tonality, or tonicity
2
: having tonality
tonally adverb

Examples of tonal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That’s the first of several effective tonal shifts here, all of which deepen our understanding of characters in an unexpected yet organic fashion. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025 The truth is that subtleties of tonal range, not least brightness and contrast, can be adjusted by the corrector-in-chief. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025 For a travel-forward look, try a tonal all-white outfit, and let one of the bold hues do the talking. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2025 The sneaker sat on a lightweight ridged outsole — one of Vuitton’s signature sneaker codes — embossed with tonal flower emblems. Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tonal

Word History

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tonal was in 1776

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tonal. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

tonal

adjective
ton·​al ˈtōn-ᵊl How to pronounce tonal (audio)
: of or relating to a musical tone
tonally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on tonal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!