tonal

American  

[tohn-l] / ˈtoʊn l /

adjective

Music.

1. pertaining to or having tonality.

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tonal British  

/ ˈtəʊnəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to tone

2. of, relating to, or utilizing the diatonic system; having an established key Compare atonal

3. 1. (of an answer in a fugue) not having the same melodic intervals as the subject, so as to remain in the original key

   2. denoting a fugue as having such an answer Compare real 1

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Other Word Forms

• tonally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of tonal

1770–80; < Medieval Latin tonālis . See tone, -al ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tonal

Mr. Day’s lushly orchestrated score, sweetly tonal throughout and full of harp riffs, is paced with a mellow sameness that even the frequent big climaxes can’t jolt into dramatic excitement or dangerous energy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Perhaps the most striking feature of this alternate 2026 is tonal.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

Instead, the story of a lone knight and his young companion forges a new tonal path in the “Game of Thrones” universe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

Instead of relying only on vague instructions such as "play warmer" or "use a lighter touch," future training systems may be able to show students the exact physical movements associated with specific tonal qualities.

From Science Daily ● May 28, 2026

Bulges in the rock implied bulk, and tonal shading with earth-tone pigments lent contour and perspective.

From "The Annotated Mona Lisa" by Carol Strickland and John Boswell