tonal

adjective

ton·​al ˈtō-nᵊl How to pronounce tonal (audio)
1
: of or relating to tone, tonality, or tonicity
2
: having tonality
tonally adverb

Examples of tonal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The nickel-grey sunburst dial features a tonal version of Zenith’s tricolor El Primero subdials and polished details. Thor Svaboe, Robb Report, 14 July 2025 Speaking to Rolling Stone in a sprawling Q&A published today, the two-time Oscar nominee described the tonal difference between 2022’s Glass Onion and the forthcoming threequel, releasing Dec. 12. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 12 July 2025 David Corenswet’s performance shines, but the film suffers from lots of CGI slop and tonal incoherence. Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 11 July 2025 The shoe is crafted from soft crepe satin, a fabric reminiscent of traditional ballet shoes, and is tied with tonal satin ribbons around the ankle. Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for tonal

Word History

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tonal was in 1776

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Cite this Entry

“Tonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tonal. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

tonal

adjective
ton·​al ˈtōn-ᵊl How to pronounce tonal (audio)
: of or relating to a musical tone
tonally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on tonal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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