Tone — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈtōn/

Meaning & Definition of Tone

Tone (noun)

  1. vocal or musical sound of a specific quality; especially, musical sound with respect to timbre and manner of expression
  2. a sound of definite pitch and vibration
  3. whole step

Tone (verb)

  1. to soften or reduce in intensity, color, appearance, or sound, mellow —often used with down
  2. to impart tone to, strengthen; especially, to increase the firmness, strength, or tautness of (a part of the body)
  3. to change the normal silver image of (something, such as a photographic print) into a colored image

Tone (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a distinctive way of putting ideas into words

    "the angry tone of his letter makes it clear he doesn't want to speak to me ever again"

    similar: fashion, locution, manner, mode, phraseology, style, vein
    related: address, delivery, elocution, colloquialism, regionalism, acceptation, connotation, denotation, expression, idiom

  2. a property that becomes apparent when light falls on an object and by which things that are identical in form can be distinguished

    "fall fashions in deep jewel tones"

    similar: cast, color, hue, shade, tincture, tinge, tint
    related: overtone, undertone, primary color, secondary color, tertiary color, brightness, chroma, chromaticity, contrast, lightness, saturation, value, coloration, coloring, colorway, pigmentation
    near: achromatism

  3. the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others

    "all that showbiz glitz is out of keeping with the tone of the college"

    similar: character, clay, colors, complexion, constitution, genius, nature, personality, self
    related: distinctiveness, distinctness, individuality, singularity, uniqueness, attribute, characteristic, earmark, essentiality, feature, flavor, hallmark, mark, point, property, savor, stamp, trait, disposition, grain, sort, temper, temperament, composition, makeup, essence, interior, interiority, soul, spirit, metal, stuff, substance, habit, way

Related Entry: Tone (down) (verb)

Tone (down) is a different word from Tone. The synonyms below are for tone (down), not for tone.

  1. as in mute, muffle

    similar: muffle, mute, benumb, blunt, cauterize, damp, dampen, deaden, dull, numb, decrease, diminish, lessen, let up (on), lower, reduce, subdue, debilitate, enfeeble, weaken, dwindle, recede, subside, taper (off), wane, alleviate, ease, lighten, abate, moderate
    opposite: sharpen, whet, amplify, augment, beef (up), boost, consolidate, deepen, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, redouble, step up, strengthen, animate, arouse, stimulate

Related Entry: Tone (up) (verb)

Tone (up) is a different word from Tone. The synonyms below are for tone (up), not for tone.

  1. as in firm (up)

    similar: firm (up), anneal, temper, energize, invigorate, vitalize, beef (up), fortify, harden, strengthen, toughen, restrengthen
    opposite: debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, weaken, cripple, incapacitate, paralyze, damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, break down, wear out, sap, undercut, undermine

Related Entry: Two-tone (adjective)

Two-tone is a different word from Tone. The synonyms below are for two-tone, not for tone.

  1. as in two-toned, tricolor

    similar: bichrome, bicolored, dichromatic, trichromatic, tricolor, two-toned, banded, barred, brindled, streaked, striated, flecked, specked, speckled, spotted, dappled, marbled, mottled, parti-color, piebald, pied, pinto, checkered, dotted, patterned, plaid, plaided, striped, flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, showy, splashy, brave, bright, brilliant, gay, vibrant, iridescent, opalescent, chromatic, colored, colorful, kaleidoscopic, motley, multicolored, multihued, polychromatic, polychrome, prismatic, rainbow, varicolored, varied, variegated, various
    opposite: colorless, monochromatic, monochromic, monotone, self-colored, solid, achromatic, bleached, decolorized, faded, washed-out, dull, faint, gray, neutral, pale, pallid, unbrilliant

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Tone

The most common words with a similar meaning to Tone:

fashion, locution, manner, mode, phraseology, style, vein, cast, color, hue, shade, tincture, tinge, tint, character, clay, colors, complexion, constitution, genius, nature, personality, self

Related Words for Tone

address, delivery, elocution, colloquialism, regionalism, acceptation, connotation, denotation, expression, idiom, overtone, undertone, primary color, secondary color, tertiary color, brightness, chroma, chromaticity, contrast, lightness, saturation, value, coloration, coloring, colorway, pigmentation, distinctiveness, distinctness, individuality, singularity

Near Antonyms of Tone

achromatism

Word Forms of Tone

Inflections: toned, toning

Origin & Etymology of Tone

Middle English ton, tone "musical sound or note, pitch," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French ton, tun, toen, borrowed from Latin tonus "strain, tension, musical pitch, note," borrowed from Greek tónos "stretching, tightening, exertion, pitch of the voice, accent in a syllable," nominal derivative from the base of teínein "to stretch, extend" tenant:1

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Tone

Words & Phrases Containing Tone

tone color, tone-deaf, tone language, tone poem, tone row, tone in with (something), tone of voice

Frequently Asked Questions about Tone

What does "Tone" mean?

"Tone" means vocal or musical sound of a specific quality; especially, musical sound with respect to timbre and manner of expression. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: vocal or musical sound of a specific quality; especially, musical sound with respect to timbre and manner of expression. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Tone"?

Other words for "Tone" include fashion, locution, manner, mode, phraseology, style, vein and cast. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Tone" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Tone"?

There are 84 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Tone". Common alternatives include fashion, locution, manner, mode, phraseology, style, vein, cast, color and hue.

How do you use "Tone" in a sentence?

Examples of "Tone" in a sentence: "the angry tone of his letter makes it clear he doesn't want to speak to me ever again"; "fall fashions in deep jewel tones"; "all that showbiz glitz is out of keeping with the tone of the college".

Is "Tone" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Tone" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Tone" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Tone" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Tone"?

"Tone" is pronounced /ˈtōn/.

What is the origin of the word "Tone"?

"Tone" comes from Middle English ton, tone "musical sound or note, pitch," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French ton, tun, toen, borrowed from Latin tonus "strain, tension, musical pitch, note," borrowed from Greek tónos "stretching, tightening, exertion, pitch of the voice, accent in a syllable," nominal derivative from the base of teínein "to stretch, extend" tenant:1. First known use: 14th century.