tone-deaf
adjective
unable to distinguish differences in pitch in musical sounds when producing or hearing them.
tone deafness
-
a word derived from
tone-deaf.
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.
But his first Emmy hosting gig revealed an insistent tone deafness that he could not steer out of, and it made a parade of worthwhile wins into a slog.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2025
Former Trump aide Patrick Wilson has said there was a "tremendous amount of tone deafness by politicians in Northern Ireland".
From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2025
The researchers captured 924 recordings from 33 residents of Quebec, including 18 participants with congenital amusia—commonly known as tone deafness.
From Science Magazine ● Aug. 11, 2022
Start at the top, with the Switzerland-based International Olympic Committee, which lords over the Games with an amazing tone deafness.
From New York Times ● Jul. 5, 2021
But I was not in the band, because I suffer from the kind of tone deafness that is generally associated with actual deafness.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
