tone

The way your speech or writing shows your feelings or attitude.

• Please use a kinder tone.
• Her letter had a friendly tone.
• I could hear worry in his tone of voice.

How to use it: in a ... tone (She spoke in a gentle tone.); tone of something (The tone of his email seemed angry.)

Common phrases: tone of voice, friendly tone, angry tone

The particular quality of a voice or musical sound, such as being warm, clear, or rough.

• Her voice has a warm tone.
• This violin produces a rich tone.
• The singer worked on improving his tone.

How to use it: tone of something (I love the tone of her voice.)

Similar words: timbre, sound quality

Common phrases: warm tone, rich tone, tone of something

The overall feeling or character of a place, event, or situation.

• The party had a cheerful tone.
• His arrival changed the tone of the meeting.
• The opening ceremony set the tone for the festival.

How to use it: set the tone for something (The music set the tone for the evening.)

Similar words: mood, atmosphere

Common phrases: set the tone, festive tone, tone of something

A sound at a particular height, from low to high.

• The machine produced a high tone.
• Can you hear the two different tones?
• The test began with a low, steady tone.

Common phrases: high tone, low tone, pure tone

A particular form of a colour, which may be lighter, darker, warmer, or cooler.

• Choose a warmer tone for the walls.
• The painting combines several tones of green.
• This shirt suits her skin tone.

How to use it: tone of a colour (The walls are painted in a pale tone of blue.)

Similar words: shade, hue

Common phrases: skin tone, warm tone, tone of something

The rise or fall of your voice that changes a word’s meaning in some languages.

• Mandarin uses tones to distinguish words.
• Say this syllable with a rising tone.
• Using the wrong tone can change the meaning.

Similar words: lexical tone

Common phrases: rising tone, falling tone, lexical tone

To make your muscles or body firmer through exercise.

• Swimming helps tone your muscles.
• She toned her arms by lifting weights.
• These exercises will tone your legs.

Similar words: firm, strengthen

Common phrases: tone your muscles, tone your arms, tone your body

To change the colour of something, often hair or a photograph.

• This shampoo helps tone blonde hair.
• The photographer toned the print brown.
• She had her hair toned at the salon.

Similar words: tint

Common phrases: tone blonde hair, tone a photograph, tone a print