How to Use tone in a Sentence

tone

1 of 2 noun

• They spoke in hushed tones.
• Don't use that rude tone of voice with me.
• The speech had religious tones to it.
• He replied in a friendly tone.
• The author's tone shows her attitude toward the subject.
• The professor's condescending tone irritated some students.
• The whistles changed the pace and the tone of the game.
  — Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2023
• Tonight sets the tone for the rest of the year to come.
  — Kelsey Hurwitz, Woman's Day, 15 Dec. 2019
• The tone of the tweet was that something is wrong with the Cougars.
  — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2022
• This moment kind of sets a tone for the rest of the episode.
  — Korin Miller, Women's Health, 18 Aug. 2023
• The scene is a crucial in setting the tone for the film.
  — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 14 Oct. 2022
• There is the inevitable clearing of the throat, the pause, the shift in tone.
  — Peter Savodnik, The Hive, 6 July 2017
• This will put both of you at ease and set the tone for the meeting.
  — Yec, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2021
• Her voice then grew stronger, shifting the tone of the piece.
  — Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
• That set the tone for a day when the Jaguars wouldn't have to force anything.
  — Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Jan. 2022
• Coach gave it to me in the beginning and that kind of set the tone.
  — Rick Fires, Arkansas Online, 7 Dec. 2021
• While the running game set the tone, the red zone defense shut the door.
  — Aaron Heisen, oregonlive, 12 Nov. 2022
• The rest are part of a two-tone scheme with a black bottom strip.
  — Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 21 Dec. 2022
• Trouble was the message set the wrong tone for the next few months.
  — Chuck Carlton, Dallas News, 26 May 2021
• But that grim part of the story didn’t move the press to adopt a more solemn tone.
  — Rhaina Cohen, The New Republic, 29 June 2018
• Heidi Klum praised the tone of his voice and that song.
  — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 13 July 2022
• The chief is the one who sets policies and approaches — and the tone.
  — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2023
• New takes on the hue bring in light to deep pinks, or the ochre tones of a sunset.
  — Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2019
• Some of the hardest things to express are style and tone.
  — Bernard May, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
• Here’s the step that sets the tone for your entire routine.
  — Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 30 Nov. 2022
• The lack of outreach prompted him to co-write an article with two other local rabbis which struck a plaintive tone.
  — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
• Grant’s gentle, earthy tones blend well with Amanfu’s soulful soprano.
  — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 30 Mar. 2026
• These notices can escalate in tone and urgency if left unanswered.
  — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
• The contrast between image and tone!
  — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 30 Mar. 2026
• But the lighthearted tone gave way to a broader warning about a growing criminal trend.
  — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026

tone

2 of 2 verb

• The spice toned down the sweet as the sweet did the spice.
  — Meredith Bodgas, Woman's Day, 21 Apr. 2014
• We’re being asked to tone down the rhetoric in our press, and that is BS.
  — John Shea, SFChronicle.com, 10 June 2020
• As far as the taste, the spiciness still there, but it was toned down a notch.
  — Will Nevin, OregonLive.com, 26 Jan. 2018
• In turn, acne scars fill out and the skin looks more even-toned.
  — Marci Robin, Good Housekeeping, 14 June 2019
• The hairstyles are more toned down, there is still some flair.
  — Ni'kesia Pannell, Allure, 14 Feb. 2018
• Tom Schad talks about the issue and what could be done to tone things down.
  — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2022
• The more the strings sound acid-toned and the piano xylophone-like, the better.
  — Alan Artner, chicagotribune.com, 16 Apr. 2018
• Remind them to tone it down with a swear jar as a gag gift.
  — Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 12 Oct. 2022
• To tone down the swelling, use a warm compress, or take a hot shower.
  — Sabrina Talbert, Women's Health, 4 Feb. 2023
• And even the pops and crackles exiting the tailpipes can be toned down to a dull blat.
  — Mike Sutton, Car and Driver, 30 Mar. 2020
• What happens to the extras when the overall goal is to tone things down?
  — José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2023
• Hot pinks, fiery corals, even berry and wine-toned blushes work best for the melanin-rich.
  — Allure, 9 Dec. 2019
• What are some products that can be used to tone your hair at home?
  — Kristin Corpuz, ELLE, 1 Mar. 2023
• Or tone down the contrast with a softer shade that verges on dark gray.
  — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2022
• No one can go back in time to tone down the coverage from two weeks ago.
  — Oliver Darcy, CNN, 8 Dec. 2021
• The two leaders also have toned down their sharp rhetoric.
  — John Bacon, USA TODAY, 3 May 2018
• Other kids are spooked — but the Knodes never tone down the scares.
  — Libby Solomon, baltimoresun.com, 23 Oct. 2017
• The gaping grille was toned down, but that was pretty much all that could be done.
  — Jens Meiners, Car and Driver, 11 Oct. 2017
• Some of the early rhetoric about a global trade war has been toned down to some extent.
  — Mark Glover, sacbee, 12 Apr. 2018
• My legs and bum were getting toned, and the weight started dropping off.
  — Aarti Sanan, Redbook, 15 Feb. 2012
• Elliott does nothing to tone down the butch-femme dichotomy in the work.
  — Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2018
• There’s only so much that running in the park will do to keep you feeling strong and toned.
  — Popular Science, 21 Apr. 2020
• Another option is to use ski-like poles to tone your arms at the same time.
  — Kaitlyn Pirie, Good Housekeeping, 16 July 2021
• Her will help you along your journey to not only lose fat, but to tone your body.
  — Mark Anderson, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2022
• Maybe a few more people would show up if the atmosphere was toned down a bit . . .
  — Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
• The quick exhales work the abdominals and help tone your core.
  — Stephanie Mansour, CNN, 23 July 2021
• But most Texas politicos these days tend to tone it down, at least in public.
  — Tom Benning, Dallas News, 22 Oct. 2020
• The blob was earth-toned and splashed bestselling covers for years.
  — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
• Rick tones up a melody on one of the songs Danny’s been working on.
  — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
• Please either ask Sullivan to tone it down, turn it off or move him to the op-ed section of the paper.
  — Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026