undertone

American  

[uhn-der-tohn] / ˈʌn dərˌtoʊn /

noun

• undertones
  plural

1. a low or subdued tone.

   to speak in undertones.

2. an unobtrusive or background sound.

   an undertone of static from the receiver.

3. an underlying quality or element; undercurrent.

   There was an undertone of regret in his refusal.

4. a subdued color; a color modified by an underlying color.

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undertone British  

/ ˈʌndəˌtəʊn /

noun

1. a quiet or hushed tone of voice

2. an underlying tone or suggestion in words or actions

   his offer has undertones of dishonesty

3. a pale or subdued colour

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• undertones
  plural

Etymology

Origin of undertone

First recorded in 1800–10; under- + tone

Explanation

An undertone is literally a muted tone of voice, but it can also refer to an unspoken, implied meaning or emotion: "I thought there were undertones of hostility in her supposed apology." An undertone is a muted color or sound, like the blue undertones in your new gray wallpaper or the undertones of murmured conversations in a busy restaurant. When someone speaks in an undertone, it means that they whisper or talk very softly. You might tell you sister about your dad's surprise party in an undertone, so he doesn't overhear. These days, the word is most commonly used to refer to a subtle or implied meaning in an utterance.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

undertone undertones

The research service Citrini just authored a note sharing that upbeat undertone.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 15, 2026

And when I spoke to Bisognano the day of the Virginia referendum, there was a lightly apologetic undertone to the conversation.

From Slate ● Apr. 22, 2026

The brown butter lends a nutty undertone and caramel depth, a quiet bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026

In the history of Musk, meanwhile, an odd undertone entered the conversation this week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

She even stroked it a little, fondly, with the other hand, murmuring in an undertone, “Pauvre chérie.”

From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin

Kevin Warsh’s address was terse following his first Fed meeting as chair, but his messaging carried decidedly hawkish undertones, fueling bets that the central bank may raise interest rates later this year.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

In hindsight, he said, the story of Rico, a teenager trying to measure up to the demands of fatherhood while being ill-equipped and lacking maturity to navigate the situation constructively, carried personal undertones.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026

Stagflationary undertones were present in the ISM services print, however, Fjaerstedt said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026

He appeared on the soundtrack to Dhurandhar, a movie released last year, the political undertones of which were not well received in Pakistan where the film is banned.

From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2026

The color climbs over the woman's body, changing it from pale gray to soft beige with yellowy undertones.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• connotation
• overtone
• tinge
• undercurrent