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• tony
  tony

  adjective

  high-toned; stylish.
• Tony
  Tony

  noun

  one of a group of awards made annually by the American Theatre Wing, a professional school for the performing arts, for achievements in theatrical production and performance.

tony

¹ American  

[toh-nee] / ˈtoʊ ni /

adjective

Informal.

tonier, toniest

1. high-toned; stylish.

   a tony nightclub.

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Tony ² American  

[toh-nee] / ˈtoʊ ni /

noun

Tonys plural

1. one of a group of awards made annually by the American Theatre Wing, a professional school for the performing arts, for achievements in theatrical production and performance.

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Tony ³ American  

[toh-nee] / ˈtoʊ ni /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Anthony.

2. a female given name, form of Antoinette or Antonia.

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Tony ¹ British  

/ ˈtəʊnɪ /

noun

1. any of several medallions awarded annually in the United States by a professional school for the performing arts for outstanding achievement in the theatre

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tony ² British  

/ ˈtəʊnɪ /

adjective

1. informal stylish or distinctive; classy

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Usage

What is a Tony? A Tony is an annual award given by the American Theatre Wing (ATW) for excellence in theater production. The Tony award is a black statuette featuring a suspended medallion with the image of the comedy and tragedy mask and the winner’s name, category, and winning year engraved on it. The awards are given out at the Tony Awards ceremony, also known as the Tonys. The Tonys are a televised ceremonial event that features celebrity hosts, musical performances, and Broadway announcements. Typically, the event is seen as one of the most important nights in the theater industry because it gathers many of its most talented performers, directors, and production crews.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Tonys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tony¹

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; tone + -y ¹

Origin of Tony²

After the nickname of Antoinette Perry

Example Sentences

One SpaceX buyer has been eyeing a $32-million pocket listing of his in tony Brentwood for months while waiting for the IPO, according to real estate broker Cory Weiss of Douglas Elliman.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026

The former home of the 36-year-old actress’s family is located in the tony community of Palisades, N.Y., where Panettiere was raised alongside her brother, Jansen, who died at the age of 28 in early 2023.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026

Most of the homes destroyed in the Eaton and Palisades fires were in three communities: Altadena, a middle-class neighborhood on the city’s east side, the tony hillside Pacific Palisades and high-end beach-front Malibu.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026

Sandwiched between Bel-Air and Santa Monica, the tony Los Angeles neigborhood of Brentwood has long been home to more than its fair share of industry captains, actors, directors, musicians, media moguls and professional athletes.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025

Nothing was brokn broken except for tony isnt happy and silly all the time like he used to be.

From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper