intonation
noun
the pattern or melody of pitch changes in connected speech, especially the pitch pattern of a sentence, which distinguishes kinds of sentences or speakers of different language cultures.
intonations
-
pluralof intonation.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
The Spanish is archaic, the intonations are complicated, and the words tumble over themselves like a hard charge toward the goal posts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
And then there’s the title track, with its Hank Williams intonations.
From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2026
His personality is conveyed through the different intonations in which he delivers his name.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2024
Birds squawked in weird intonations, a few stars dotted a purplish sky, and the temperature felt like it dropped several degrees.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 4, 2024
Laila marveled at her daughter’s manner of speech, her cadence and rhythm, her thoughtful pauses and intonations, so adult, so at odds with the immature body that housed the voice.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
