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tone
/toʊn/
sound quality or attitude
The speaker's tone was harsh and judgmental.
The way the speaker spoke sounded angry and critical.
technical
A sound with distinct pitch, quality, or character.
The violin's tone was rich and warm.
The violin produced a deep, pleasing sound.
Her voice has a soft, melodic tone.
She speaks in a gentle, musical way.
In music, tone refers to the quality of a sound that distinguishes different types of sound production (e.g., voices, musical instruments).
general
The general attitude or emotional quality of something said or written.
The email had a friendly tone.
The email sounded warm and welcoming.
His tone was sarcastic when he said that.
He spoke in a way that implied the opposite of what he said.
Tone conveys emotion or attitude beyond the literal meaning of words.
general
To give a particular intonation or quality to one's voice.
She toned down her criticism after seeing his reaction.
She made her criticism less harsh.
Often used with 'down' to mean reducing intensity.
Collocations
tone of voicethe way someone speaks (pitch, volume, emotion)set the toneestablish the mood or attitude for a situationtone downreduce the intensity or harshness of something
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoid tone confusion
Tone refers to how words are delivered (e.g., sarcastic, cheerful), not the words themselves. Compare: 'You did great!' (positive tone) vs. 'You did great...' (sarcastic tone).
Gold Rule
Tone vs. Mood
Tone is the speaker's attitude; mood is the emotional atmosphere of the text. Example: A story's tone might be serious, but the mood could be suspenseful.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'ton' via Old French 'ton' and Latin 'tonus', from Greek 'tonos' (tension, tone), derived from 'teinein' (to stretch). Originally referred to sound or musical pitch, later extended to emotional quality in speech.
Usage Notes
Tone is often confused with 'mood' (which refers to the emotional atmosphere of a text) or 'intention' (which is the speaker's purpose). Tone is about how something is said, not what is said.
Word Breakdown
ton-
sound or pitch
rootEnglish Dictionary