# tone

/ˈtoʊn/ (US) · /tˈəʊn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tone
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. mood of speech or writing

noun · CEFR B1

the mood or feeling expressed by the way someone speaks or writes.

For teachers: the general character or attitude of a piece of writing or a speech, often conveyed through diction and register.

- The tone of his email was very professional, even though he was complaining.
- The author maintains a cynical tone throughout the novel, frequently mocking the pretensions of the upper-class characters.

### 2. sound quality

noun · CEFR B1

the quality or character of a particular sound or voice.

For teachers: the distinctive timbre or quality of a musical sound or a person's speaking voice.

- The singer has a very warm, rich tone that is perfect for jazz.
- The violin's tone was remarkably bright, cutting through the orchestral texture even during the most complex passages.

### 3. muscle firmness

noun · CEFR B2

the firmness and strength of your muscles.

For teachers: the normal state of tension or responsiveness in a muscle; often used to describe a lean, fit appearance.

- Regular swimming is a great way to improve your muscle tone.
- The physical therapist noted a significant improvement in the patient's muscle tone after six weeks of resistance training.

### 4. shade of a colour

noun · CEFR B2

a particular shade or variety of a colour.

For teachers: the lightness, darkness, or specific quality of a colour.

- The room was decorated in soft tones of blue and grey.
- The artist used earthy tones to ground the composition, contrasting them with a single splash of vibrant crimson.

### 5. linguistic pitch

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the use of high or low pitch to change the meaning of a word.

For teachers: the use of pitch in language to distinguish lexical or grammatical meaning.

- In Mandarin Chinese, the same sound can have different meanings depending on the tone.
- The phonological analysis revealed that the dialect uses tone to distinguish between past and present tense markers.

### 6. to make firm

verb · CEFR B2

to make your body or muscles firmer and stronger through exercise.

For teachers: to improve the firmness or physiological condition of the body or a specific muscle group.

- These exercises are designed to tone your stomach muscles.
- While cardio is excellent for heart health, you need weight training if you want to tone your arms effectively.

### 7. to adjust colour

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to change the colour or mood of something, like a photo.

For teachers: to give a particular skin, colour, or character to something; often used in photography or art.

- The photographer decided to tone the image with a sepia filter for a vintage look.
- The chemical process used to tone the prints resulted in a deep, metallic blue that enhanced the industrial themes of industrial decay.

## Examples

- The manager's tone was firm but fair during the meeting.
- The author uses a sarcastic tone to criticize the government's new environmental policy.
- While the plot of the novel is tragic, the narrator maintains a surprisingly whimsical tone that creates a sharp contrast with the heavy themes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.