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
  • The tone of the tweet was that something is wrong with the Cougars.
    — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2022
  • 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
  • There is the inevitable clearing of the throat, the pause, the shift in tone.
    — Peter Savodnik, The Hive, 6 July 2017
  • This will put both of you at ease and set the tone for the meeting.
    — Yec, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2021
  • Her voice then grew stronger, shifting the tone of the piece.
    — Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
  • That set the tone for a day when the Jaguars wouldn't have to force anything.
    — Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Jan. 2022
  • Coach gave it to me in the beginning and that kind of set the tone.
    — Rick Fires, Arkansas Online, 7 Dec. 2021
  • While the running game set the tone, the red zone defense shut the door.
    — Aaron Heisen, oregonlive, 12 Nov. 2022
  • The rest are part of a two-tone scheme with a black bottom strip.
    — Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 21 Dec. 2022
  • Trouble was the message set the wrong tone for the next few months.
    — Chuck Carlton, Dallas News, 26 May 2021
  • 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
  • Heidi Klum praised the tone of his voice and that song.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 13 July 2022
  • The chief is the one who sets policies and approaches — and the tone.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2023
  • New takes on the hue bring in light to deep pinks, or the ochre tones of a sunset.
    — Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2019
  • Some of the hardest things to express are style and tone.
    — Bernard May, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023
  • Here’s the step that sets the tone for your entire routine.
    — Nerisha Penrose, ELLE, 30 Nov. 2022
  • Jones’ defense helped set the tone for the entire game.
    — Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 23 Mar. 2021
  • Bringing Cordero back to play left field and hit eighth wouldn’t change the tone much.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 21 June 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
  • In more recent days, Biden’s tone has become more forceful.
    — Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024
  • The plaintive tone of one undated email appears to show Artiles’ distress at being iced out.
    — Mario Alejandro Ariza, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024
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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
  • We’re being asked to tone down the rhetoric in our press, and that is BS.
    — John Shea, SFChronicle.com, 10 June 2020
  • 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
  • The hairstyles are more toned down, there is still some flair.
    — Ni'kesia Pannell, Allure, 14 Feb. 2018
  • Tom Schad talks about the issue and what could be done to tone things down.
    — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2022
  • The more the strings sound acid-toned and the piano xylophone-like, the better.
    — Alan Artner, chicagotribune.com, 16 Apr. 2018
  • Remind them to tone it down with a swear jar as a gag gift.
    — Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 12 Oct. 2022
  • To tone down the swelling, use a warm compress, or take a hot shower.
    — Sabrina Talbert, Women's Health, 4 Feb. 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 happens to the extras when the overall goal is to tone things down?
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2023
  • Hot pinks, fiery corals, even berry and wine-toned blushes work best for the melanin-rich.
    — Allure, 9 Dec. 2019
  • 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
  • No one can go back in time to tone down the coverage from two weeks ago.
    — Oliver Darcy, CNN, 8 Dec. 2021
  • The two leaders also have toned down their sharp rhetoric.
    — John Bacon, USA TODAY, 3 May 2018
  • Other kids are spooked — but the Knodes never tone down the scares.
    — Libby Solomon, baltimoresun.com, 23 Oct. 2017
  • The gaping grille was toned down, but that was pretty much all that could be done.
    — Jens Meiners, Car and Driver, 11 Oct. 2017
  • Some of the early rhetoric about a global trade war has been toned down to some extent.
    — Mark Glover, sacbee, 12 Apr. 2018
  • 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
  • There’s only so much that running in the park will do to keep you feeling strong and toned.
    — Popular Science, 21 Apr. 2020
  • Another option is to use ski-like poles to tone your arms at the same time.
    — Kaitlyn Pirie, Good Housekeeping, 16 July 2021
  • Her will help you along your journey to not only lose fat, but to tone your body.
    — Mark Anderson, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2022
  • Maybe a few more people would show up if the atmosphere was toned down a bit . . .
    — Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
  • The quick exhales work the abdominals and help tone your core.
    — Stephanie Mansour, CNN, 23 July 2021
  • But most Texas politicos these days tend to tone it down, at least in public.
    — Tom Benning, Dallas News, 22 Oct. 2020
  • Fans couldn't stop talking about her toned leg, shown off by her gown's thigh-high slit.
    — Kelly O'Sullivan, Country Living, 25 Nov. 2019
  • Polka dots add a little bit of life to any outfit, and they can be toned down or up with bigger or smaller prints and bold or muted colors.
    — Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
  • Vergara's corset top dialed up the sexiness to 11 with cutout details where the boning should be, which the actor toned down just a tad by styling it with a pair of office-appropriate wide-legged black slacks.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2024

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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