1
as in highbrow
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2
as in sententious
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Recent Examples of high-toned
The gambit that Shelley somehow comes to possess her fictional creation is sustained, as Ida alternates between a very American dialect and a more high-toned British accent.
—
Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
The coastal Mediterranean meets West Indies vibe feels right at home in South Florida, and the refined yet relaxed decor is similarly suited to the locale’s high-toned but low-key environment.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 10 Dec. 2025
That’s just the latest accolade for the Yorba Linda municipal course that continually scores above its weight in a high-toned category.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Many global rums are clean and light by design; Hampden’s are unabashedly expressive—ripe, high-toned, and unmistakable.
—Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Blake is accused of having drifted into high-toned seriousness; Albert, now writing for television, is branded a sellout.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2025
Bright high-toned notes of cherry and strawberry show on the palate with an intriguing texture that hints at a bit of tannin.
—Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
The coastal Mediterranean meets West Indies vibe feels right at home in South Florida, and the refined yet relaxed decor is similarly suited to the locale’s high-toned but low-key environment.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 10 Dec. 2025
That’s just the latest accolade for the Yorba Linda municipal course that continually scores above its weight in a high-toned category.
—Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Many global rums are clean and light by design; Hampden’s are unabashedly expressive—ripe, high-toned, and unmistakable.
—Gina Pace, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Blake is accused of having drifted into high-toned seriousness; Albert, now writing for television, is branded a sellout.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2025
Bright high-toned notes of cherry and strawberry show on the palate with an intriguing texture that hints at a bit of tannin.
—Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for high-toned
Adjective
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And once the Knicks–Spurs Finals matchup was confirmed, fans had jokes, less about his generational basketball skills and more about his highbrow habits.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Cronos marries crowd-pleasing horror elements with highbrow filmmaking sensibilities into something that would fit under arthouse or grindhouse umbrellas.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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The markets were launched with high-minded ambitions of using the wisdom of the crowd to forecast future events, and help business leaders and politicians make better decisions.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
20 May 2026
-
Some viewers even felt its liberal use of absurdity in fact grounded the show in the real world compared to the high-minded weepies on daytime, achieving honesty through nontraditional means.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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When Mamdani meets The Athletic, however, even more cerebral matters are at play.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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This extends to the series as well, which, refreshingly, forgoes the usual guns and gore for a more wholesome, cerebral, and darkly comedic take on the genre.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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There was Coppola’s over-the-top defense of his friend with a grandiloquent gesture (Tanen declined to sell).—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
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Reform—Within Reason Malthus aimed to puncture Godwin’s grandiloquent progressivism.—
Roy Scranton,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Her collections, primarily for women but with a recent addition of menswear, are sophisticated, otherworldly and intellectual.—
Thomas Waller,
Footwear News,
10 Dec. 2025
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Social media does create a powerful consensus—on the internet, everything tends to grow quickly toward one source of light— and an argument can be made that a slower, more fractured network of in-person, localized arguments might ultimately offer up more intellectual variety.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The use of her royal title is beyond pretentious.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
25 Nov. 2025
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From true crime mania to the leftist backlash against urban gentrification and corporate greed, the themes are timely, salient, and well incorporated, if also a touch pretentious (Freud’s death drive gets an extended exegesis).—
Judy Berman,
Time,
13 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Today, the antagonism between the defendants and the system judging them took the shape of civilized disagreement.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
9 June 2026
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No civilized country in the world will do that.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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For all of Control Resonant's slick presentation, the boss fight, which was just a giant floating head, felt one-note, with simple attack patterns that didn't really seem as grandiose as the situation demanded.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
8 June 2026
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The phrase has its own meaning within Anne Rice’s lush, grandiose world of bloodsuckers and spell-casters as interpreted by creator and showrunner Rolin Jones.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“High-toned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/high-toned. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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