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

Mock-ups from publications like MacRumors show a dark, wine-like red with strong purple undertones. — David Phelan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Enter Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Foundation, $48, available in 50 shades, for which Rihanna took her original shade range back and started from scratch — fine-tuning undertones, creating more neutrals and testing all around the world. — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026

For the most natural-looking coverage, choose a concealer that closely matches your skin tone and undertone, especially when covering blemishes, redness, or dark spots. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026

With its undertones of green and wheat, tan can also evoke the outdoors. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 14 Aug. 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