tonal

adjective

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

Examples of tonal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep things on the tonal side with swirls of black, dark blue, light blue, lavender, and white. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 29 June 2026 To avoid a flat, monotone look, play with color and create tonal contrast. — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026 Auralee, Celine and Dries Van Noten showed full tonal looks in blues, pinks, and soft yellows. — Christina Holevas, Vogue, 5 July 2026 Poopsie’s smile was the beat of visual humor that gave the bit the tonal shift that was missing from its initial narrative construction. — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tonal

Word History

Etymology

tone entry 1 + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tonal was in 1776

Rhymes for tonal

See All Rhymes for tonal

Browse Nearby Words

tonadilla
tonal
tonalamatl
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tonal. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tonal

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

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