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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

Inflected Forms

noun

• 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

He continued to live in the U.K., where he attended high school, before landing the role of Tony in the hit British TV show “Skins.”

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

"We want to bring glamour, we want to bring refinement, we want to bring grace back," Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

“There’s certainly enthusiasm around what is transformative technology,” said Tony Ghee, head of equity investments in the chief investment office of Bank of America, in a phone interview Tuesday.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Tony Livesey, a former editor-in-chief of the Sport newspapers who is now a presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live, claimed in his book about the papers that he and Sullivan had invented the feature.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Tony told Carmen something else that shocked her, what the molasses company was saying about why the tank broke apart.

From "I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919" by Lauren Tarshis