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
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It is also embroidered and overprinted on a graphic T-shirt, and woven into a soft, tonal allover jacquard pattern in a silk blend. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025 Bring home a tonal Francophile fantasy with blue and white striped tea towels, bistro chairs, mosaic mugs, and classic dome or barn lights. Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2025 Co-starring Rachel McAdams, the tonal mashup chronicles two incompatible work colleagues who crash land on a deserted island and have to find a way to work together for the sake of survival. Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025 The tonal whiplash you experience at that point, the sense that Barbarian can be genuinely terrifying one moment and weirdly funny the next, is what transformed the film into a cult hit. Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Tonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tonal. Accessed 9 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
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