undertone
noun
un·der·tone
ˈən-dər-ˌtōn 
1
: a low or subdued utterance or accompanying sound
2
: a quality (as of emotion) underlying the surface of an utterance or action
3
: a subdued color
specifically
: a color seen through and modifying another color
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
This was the opposite of the dark undertones and vibe of The Undoing and Bier instinctively knew that the best way into this world of the despicably wealthy was to keep it light.
—
Dana Feldman, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024
Meet the Testers Grandma: 75, freckled and fair-skinned with pink undertones.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2024
To be sure, such undertones may also affect men; critics such as Harris and Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen often refer to him by his first name.
—Maya Davis, CNN, 3 Aug. 2024
But Democrats are betting — and Republicans fear — that Trump and some of his far-right supporters may not be able to resist attacking Harris with racist and sexist undertones.
—Maeve Reston, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for undertone 
Dana Feldman, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024
Meet the Testers Grandma: 75, freckled and fair-skinned with pink undertones.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2024
To be sure, such undertones may also affect men; critics such as Harris and Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen often refer to him by his first name.
—Maya Davis, CNN, 3 Aug. 2024
But Democrats are betting — and Republicans fear — that Trump and some of his far-right supporters may not be able to resist attacking Harris with racist and sexist undertones.
—Maeve Reston, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for undertone
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'undertone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near undertone
Cite this Entry
“Undertone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undertone. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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