tin ear
Americannoun
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an insensitivity to melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic variety in music.
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an insensitivity to subtlety or appropriateness in verbal expression.
a tin ear for clear, precise prose.
Etymology
Origin of tin ear
First recorded in 1915–20
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“There are so many ways to ease the grief for the Jewish community in Bondi, without having a tin ear for the rest of multicultural Australia.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
Speaking to the BBC's Political Editor Chris Mason, Mr Shapps warned Ms Truss not to have a "tin ear" to voters' concerns about rising living costs and to do a U-turn as soon as possible.
From BBC • Oct. 2, 2022
Listening to this album, you’d have to have a tin ear to not hear their abilities and a cold heart to not recognize their aspirations.
From Washington Times • Oct. 5, 2018
“That shows a tin ear, at best, given the current climate,” he said.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 29, 2017
They have a tin ear for its nuances of meaning and emphasis.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
