undertone

noun

un·​der·​tone ˈən-dər-ˌtōn 

1

: a low or subdued utterance or accompanying sound

She commented in an undertone that the music was not very good.

2

: a quality (as of emotion) that is present but not clear or obvious

The play is a comedy with dark undertones.

—often used with of

There was an undertone of fear in the city.

3

: a subdued color

specifically : a color seen through and modifying another color

a shade of blue with gray undertones

4

: a secondary or underlying flavor or scent

coffee with undertones of chocolate

Examples of undertone in a Sentence

She commented in an undertone that the music was really not very good.

The play is a comedy with dark undertones.

The fabric is a rich brown color with undertones of red.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ivory has a warm undertone, often of yellow but sometimes of pink or brown, while a dead-white has a cool undertone, lightly inflected with gray or blue. — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026

Singh and Oppenheim spent the next few days working on the script in a Mid-City office, then Singh spent five days alone rewriting the character of Hansen, infusing a mystical, avenging-angel undertone to his character. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026

The crisp exterior and savory undertone are hard to replicate with vegetable oil, and anyone who tries a side-by-side notices immediately. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026

Liuxia 1129 sits in Hangzhou, where the Song Dynasty is part of the city’s cultural undertone. — Li Jun, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for undertone

• acetone
• anglophone
• baritone
• bourguignon
• buspirone
• chaperon
• chaperone
• cobblestone
• collarbone
• cornerstone
• cortisone
• dictaphone

Kids Definition

undertone

noun

un·​der·​tone ˈən-dər-ˌtōn 

1

: a low or quiet tone

2

: a faint color as seen through and changing another color