tony

play

adjective \ ˈtō-nē \

variants: or less commonly toney

Definition of tony

tonier; toniest

:marked by an aristocratic or high-toned manner or style

tony private schools

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Recent Examples of tony from the Web

This winter, some paintings will be exhibited in the tony Sun Valley area.

— keith ridler, The Seattle Times, "Tiny museum seeks to revive interest in forgotten artist," 27 Aug. 2017
The 900-plus employees in its home office work in a nondescript Miami Lakes office park, far from the international glitter of tonier neighborhoods.

— jane wooldridge, miamiherald, "Keeping BankUnited lean, nimble and focused on growth," 27 Aug. 2017
Rounding out the likely five nominations are yet another Sherlock, and a tony PBS thing about British history.

— vanityfair.com, "2017 Emmy Nomination Predictions: Who Will Get a Nod This Year?," 11 July 2017
Rounding out the likely five nominations are yet another Sherlock, and a tony PBS thing about British history.

— richard lawson, HWD, "2017 Emmy Nomination Predictions: Who Will Get a Nod This Year?," 11 July 2017
Its 700 residents don't go out of their way to compete with the tony boutiques and clapboard condos of nearby Door County peninsula or Michigan's Mackinac Island.

— kurt chandler, chicagotribune.com, "Scandinavian heritage, quirky charm await on winsome Washington Island," 30 June 2017
Under the trees, next to her herb garden and orchard, stir-up the ingredients, roll out the dough and cook the sweet bread in a tonier, a traditional oven usually buried in the ground.

— carolyn rapkievian, Smithsonian, "12 Unique Ways to Experience Armenia Off the Beaten Path," 30 June 2017
In Austin for a board meeting, Donofrio invited Su to dinner at the tony Barton Creek Resort.

— aaron pressman, Fortune, "Chipmaker AMD Makes a Big Bet on Brand-New Tech," 28 June 2017
Anthony Beale of a double-standard in the city’s response to violence in tony tourist areas compared with neighborhoods with a lot of minority residents.

— chicago tribune staff, chicagotribune.com, "Morning Spin: Democrats ramping up pressure on Rauner over Trumpcare," 28 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of tony

1877

Tony

play

noun To·ny \ ˈtō-nē \

Definition of Tony

plural Tonys

:a medallion awarded annually by a professional organization for notable achievement in the theater

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Recent Examples of tony from the Web

Today’s tony shopping village of Bal Harbour, Fla., in the late 1940s was a swampy patch of land at the northern end of the barrier island known as Miami Beach.

— james r. hagerty, WSJ, "Stanley Whitman Lured the Jet Set to Bal Harbour Shops Near Miami Beach," 9 June 2017
One alderman on hand, Ameya Pawar, is not running for re-election in the tony, relatively progressive 47th Ward, instead throwing his hat in the ring for the Democratic governor nomination.

— john byrne, chicagotribune.com, "North Side aldermen pledge to add affordable housing," 10 May 2017
Ji Baek, the supremely stylish owner of New York's tony Rescue Beauty Lounge, who regularly teeters around her salon in over-the-top Alaïa heels and Céline's new wood-block platforms, agrees with me.

— anamaria wilson, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Return of Kitten Heels," 13 Aug. 2010

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'Tony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of tony

Tony, nickname of Antoinette Perry †1946 American actress & producer

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1947

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TONY Defined for English Language Learners

tony

play

adjective

Definition of tony for English Language Learners

: very expensive and fashionable

Tony

play

noun

Definition of Tony for English Language Learners

: an award given every year in New York City for the best plays, actors, directors, etc., in the theater

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Tony

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