Undertone
noun
A hint or a small amount of a quality or feeling.
His speech had an undertone of sarcasm.
Often appears as...
- undertone of sarcasm
- undertone of irony
noun
A sound that is quiet or not clear, and is heard behind other sounds.
She could hear the soft undertone of the violins in the background.
Often appears as...
- undertone of music
- undertone of sound
noun
In art, an undertone is a color that appears underneath or influences the whole color.
The painting has a green undertone.
Often appears as...
- green undertone
- blue undertone
Usage tips
Artistic
noun
A hint or a small amount of a quality or feeling.
His speech had an undertone of sarcasm.
Often appears as...
- undertone of sarcasm
- undertone of irony
noun
A sound that is quiet or not clear, and is heard behind other sounds.
She could hear the soft undertone of the violins in the background.
Often appears as...
- undertone of music
- undertone of sound
noun
In art, an undertone is a color that appears underneath or influences the whole color.
The painting has a green undertone.
Often appears as...
- green undertone
- blue undertone
Usage tips
Artistic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Subtle Emphasis
Undertone can stress a subtle quality or feeling that's not obvious.
Despite his smile, there was an undertone of sadness in his words.
Pro Tip 2/3Implicit Meaning
An undertone suggests something implied but not directly expressed.
Her compliment came with an undertone of envy.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Sensitivity
Be attentive to cultural differences when detecting undertones.
His joke carried an undertone that was misunderstood by the international audience.
Pro Tip 1/3Subtle Emphasis
Undertone can stress a subtle quality or feeling that's not obvious.
Despite his smile, there was an undertone of sadness in his words.
Pro Tip 2/3Implicit Meaning
An undertone suggests something implied but not directly expressed.
Her compliment came with an undertone of envy.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Sensitivity
Be attentive to cultural differences when detecting undertones.
His joke carried an undertone that was misunderstood by the international audience.
Pro Tip 1/3Subtle Emphasis
Undertone can stress a subtle quality or feeling that's not obvious.
Despite his smile, there was an undertone of sadness in his words.
Pro Tip 2/3Implicit Meaning
An undertone suggests something implied but not directly expressed.
Her compliment came with an undertone of envy.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Sensitivity
Be attentive to cultural differences when detecting undertones.
His joke carried an undertone that was misunderstood by the international audience.
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Video examples
Expanding your mind with...
an amazing book it talks about the mystical undertones of technology and our desires for total interconnection and total awareness and it looks at sort of the psychedelic influences behind technology you know the the psychedelic vision of total connectivity has been literalized by the internet you know
Video examples
The deadly genius of...
When you read about them, you will often read about them with an undertone of reverence and admiration, because they are the most integrated and the largest of all the Mexican organizations, and, many people argue, the world. They started as just sort of a transport organization
Video examples
Expanding your mind with...
an amazing book it talks about the mystical undertones of technology and our desires for total interconnection and total awareness and it looks at sort of the psychedelic influences behind technology you know the the psychedelic vision of total connectivity has been literalized by the internet you know
Video examples
The deadly genius of...
When you read about them, you will often read about them with an undertone of reverence and admiration, because they are the most integrated and the largest of all the Mexican organizations, and, many people argue, the world. They started as just sort of a transport organization
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Lady Gaga
American Singer
I went to see 'Phantom of the Opera' with my grandma and my mom when I was very little. The stage, the voice, the music... Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has been a massive inspiration to me for some time - the storytelling, that deliciously somber undertone in his music.
Quote examples
Jemele Hill
American Journalist
Although study after study shows black men are more likely to be victims of crime, rarely do they receive victim treatment. When black athletes are crime victims, the undertone seems to be they somehow were at fault.
Quote examples
James Mooney
American Scientist
Facing inward, join hands so as to form a small circle. Then, without moving from their places they sing the opening song, according to previous agreement, in a soft undertone.
Quote examples
Iman
Somali Model
I would go to cosmetics counters and buy two or three foundations and powders, and then go home and mix them before I came up with something suitable for my undertones.
Quote examples
Emily Weiss
American Businesswoman
I've never been one for color theory or color wheels or undertone rules or anything like that. I don't know if my red lipstick 'should' be more blue or more orange.
Quote examples
Julia Leigh
Australian Novelist
There is a difference between a voyeur and a tender witness. Maybe I think the audience is more of a tender witness than a voyeur, which has a shady undertone.
Quote examples
MNEK
British Musician
I think the stereotypes many black men are put under, even in the entertainment world, can sometimes have a dark or negative undertone.
Quote examples
Hilary Farr
British Designer
Every single color has a base to it. You can have a taupe that has a green undertone, a taupe that has a gray undertone.
Quote examples
Deana Carter
American Musician
I'm sure every song has some kind of undertone of what I was going through with Chris. It was my life.
Quote examples
Jasper Fforde
British Novelist
I hope that in my books there's an undertone of politics, basic tenets of how we should live.
Quote examples
Lady Gaga
American Singer
I went to see 'Phantom of the Opera' with my grandma and my mom when I was very little. The stage, the voice, the music... Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has been a massive inspiration to me for some time - the storytelling, that deliciously somber undertone in his music.
Quote examples
Jemele Hill
American Journalist
Although study after study shows black men are more likely to be victims of crime, rarely do they receive victim treatment. When black athletes are crime victims, the undertone seems to be they somehow were at fault.
Quote examples
James Mooney
American Scientist
Facing inward, join hands so as to form a small circle. Then, without moving from their places they sing the opening song, according to previous agreement, in a soft undertone.
Quote examples
Iman
Somali Model
I would go to cosmetics counters and buy two or three foundations and powders, and then go home and mix them before I came up with something suitable for my undertones.
Quote examples
Emily Weiss
American Businesswoman
I've never been one for color theory or color wheels or undertone rules or anything like that. I don't know if my red lipstick 'should' be more blue or more orange.
Quote examples
Julia Leigh
Australian Novelist
There is a difference between a voyeur and a tender witness. Maybe I think the audience is more of a tender witness than a voyeur, which has a shady undertone.
Quote examples
MNEK
British Musician
I think the stereotypes many black men are put under, even in the entertainment world, can sometimes have a dark or negative undertone.
Quote examples
Hilary Farr
British Designer
Every single color has a base to it. You can have a taupe that has a green undertone, a taupe that has a gray undertone.
Quote examples
Deana Carter
American Musician
I'm sure every song has some kind of undertone of what I was going through with Chris. It was my life.
Quote examples
Jasper Fforde
British Novelist
I hope that in my books there's an undertone of politics, basic tenets of how we should live.
Example 1 of 10
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