overtone
noun
over·tone
ˈō-vər-ˌtōn 
1
a
: one of the higher tones produced simultaneously with the fundamental and that with the fundamental comprise a complex musical tone : harmonic sense 1a
b
2
: the color of the light reflected (as by a paint)
3
: a secondary effect, quality, or meaning : suggestion, connotation
Examples of overtone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Without going pitch black, which would create visitor accessibility and safety issues as well as obscure the artworks, these artists are finding ways to evoke darkness with a range of symbolic, psychological and spiritual overtones.
—
Jori Finkel, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024
The earthy overtones of the Amanita Muscaria mushrooms combine perfectly with the rich cocoa and sweet crunch of fruity cereal, resulting in a balanced and unique aroma profile.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
For air, dashes of light blue; for water, a deep-blue hue with copper overtones.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024
This results in overtones, akin to the overtones of sound waves produced by a guitar or piano.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Oct. 2023
But as the former president tries to establish himself as the one, true Republican leader, religious overtones have pervaded his third presidential campaign.
—Michael C. Bender, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
At first, music labels wouldn’t even sign music with misogynistic overtones.
—Amy Dubois Barnett, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Surveillance footage shared with CBS News shows the brazenness of the work behind the gallows and noose, which have a history of racist and threatening overtones.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2024
Liu’s trilogy, while wide-ranging, focused largely on Chinese characters and had specifically Chinese historical and political overtones.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Jori Finkel, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024
The earthy overtones of the Amanita Muscaria mushrooms combine perfectly with the rich cocoa and sweet crunch of fruity cereal, resulting in a balanced and unique aroma profile.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
For air, dashes of light blue; for water, a deep-blue hue with copper overtones.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024
This results in overtones, akin to the overtones of sound waves produced by a guitar or piano.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Oct. 2023
But as the former president tries to establish himself as the one, true Republican leader, religious overtones have pervaded his third presidential campaign.
—Michael C. Bender, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
At first, music labels wouldn’t even sign music with misogynistic overtones.
—Amy Dubois Barnett, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Surveillance footage shared with CBS News shows the brazenness of the work behind the gallows and noose, which have a history of racist and threatening overtones.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2024
Liu’s trilogy, while wide-ranging, focused largely on Chinese characters and had specifically Chinese historical and political overtones.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overtone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overtone
Cite this Entry
“Overtone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overtone. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overtone
noun
over·tone
-ˌtōn
1
: any of a series of higher tones related to and produced along with a base tone that make up the whole sound of a musical tone
2
: an accompanying result, quality, or meaning : suggestion
the words carried an overtone of menace
Medical Definition
overtone
noun
over·tone
ˈō-vər-ˌtōn
: one of the higher tones produced simultaneously with the fundamental and that with the fundamental comprise a complex musical tone
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