How to Use tone in a Sentence

tone

1 of 2 noun
Definition of tonenext
Synonyms for tonenext
  • 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
  • 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
  • This will put both of you at ease and set the tone for the meeting.
    — Yec, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2021
  • The tone of the tweet was that something is wrong with the Cougars.
    — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2022
  • There is the inevitable clearing of the throat, the pause, the shift in tone.
    — Peter Savodnik, The Hive, 6 July 2017
  • Coach gave it to me in the beginning and that kind of set the tone.
    — Rick Fires, Arkansas Online, 7 Dec. 2021
  • Her voice then grew stronger, shifting the tone of the piece.
    — Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
  • Trouble was the message set the wrong tone for the next few months.
    — Chuck Carlton, Dallas News, 26 May 2021
  • The rest are part of a two-tone scheme with a black bottom strip.
    — Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 21 Dec. 2022
  • While the running game set the tone, the red zone defense shut the door.
    — Aaron Heisen, oregonlive, 12 Nov. 2022
  • Some of the hardest things to express are style and tone.
    — Bernard May, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
  • 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
  • Here’s the step that sets the tone for your entire routine.
    — Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 30 Nov. 2022
  • Jeongyeon has also jumped on the blonde train with an ash tone.
    — Audrey Noble, Allure, 21 Apr. 2020
  • Jones’ defense helped set the tone for the entire game.
    — Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 23 Mar. 2021
  • Curtains and a table cloth were made in the same tone of blue.
    — Vanessa Lawrence, ELLE Decor, 12 Aug. 2019
  • New takes on the hue bring in light to deep pinks, or the ochre tones of a sunset.
    — Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2019
  • Heidi Klum praised the tone of his voice and that song.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 13 July 2022
  • Tell me about creating the look and vibe and feel and tone of this show.
    — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 3 May 2021
  • That set the tone for a day when the Jaguars wouldn't have to force anything.
    — Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Jan. 2022
  • Yeung set the tone early on with a birdie on her first hole.
    — Brent Kennedy, baltimoresun.com, 4 Oct. 2021
  • It was tinged with the slightest hue of green and didn’t quite match my skin tone.
    — Chloé Valentine Toscano, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2022
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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
  • Remind them to tone it down with a swear jar as a gag gift.
    — Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 12 Oct. 2022
  • The hairstyles are more toned down, there is still some flair.
    — Ni'kesia Pannell, Allure, 14 Feb. 2018
  • 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
  • What happens to the extras when the overall goal is to tone things down?
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 20 Mar. 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 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
  • Tom Schad talks about the issue and what could be done to tone things down.
    — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2022
  • The two leaders also have toned down their sharp rhetoric.
    — John Bacon, USA TODAY, 3 May 2018
  • No one can go back in time to tone down the coverage from two weeks ago.
    — Oliver Darcy, CNN, 8 Dec. 2021
  • To tone down the swelling, use a warm compress, or take a hot shower.
    — Sabrina Talbert, Women's Health, 4 Feb. 2023
  • The more the strings sound acid-toned and the piano xylophone-like, the better.
    — Alan Artner, chicagotribune.com, 16 Apr. 2018
  • Some of the early rhetoric about a global trade war has been toned down to some extent.
    — Mark Glover, sacbee, 12 Apr. 2018
  • The gaping grille was toned down, but that was pretty much all that could be done.
    — Jens Meiners, Car and Driver, 11 Oct. 2017
  • The quick exhales work the abdominals and help tone your core.
    — Stephanie Mansour, CNN, 23 July 2021
  • 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
  • We’re being asked to tone down the rhetoric in our press, and that is BS.
    — John Shea, SFChronicle.com, 10 June 2020
  • Another option is to use ski-like poles to tone your arms at the same time.
    — Kaitlyn Pirie, Good Housekeeping, 16 July 2021
  • Hot pinks, fiery corals, even berry and wine-toned blushes work best for the melanin-rich.
    — Allure, 9 Dec. 2019
  • Her will help you along your journey to not only lose fat, but to tone your body.
    — Mark Anderson, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2022
  • There’s only so much that running in the park will do to keep you feeling strong and toned.
    — Popular Science, 21 Apr. 2020
  • The risk of being set apart might induce you to tone yourself down today.
    — Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2022
  • Nothing has been toned down, nothing has been pulled back.
    — Nigel Smith, PEOPLE.com, 8 Aug. 2019
  • Plus, the rowing motion can strengthen and tone your arms, too.
    — Gabrielle Hondorp, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2020
  • Maybe a few more people would show up if the atmosphere was toned down a bit . . .
    — Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
  • Maybe having this on a bagel would help tone down the intensity.
    — Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 28 Oct. 2022
  • The travel-ready compact comes with a brush and powder to tone down excess shine.
    — Melody Leibner, Harper's BAZAAR, 10 June 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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