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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

Along with a religious undertone, "they are what get people through the dark time", she explains.

From BBC ● Nov. 28, 2025

But under the hood, his hair was white and thin, and his flesh had an old man’s greyish undertone.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

But the idea of then building an Ebola facility just for US citizens on Kenyan territory sparked fear, as well as anger at the colonial undertones.

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 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

Crouse’s father and his partner had a similar habit of writing stories with political undertones, Crouse said, asking audiences, “Who are you when the whistle blows?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2026

Meanwhile, John Lewis’s festive advert explores masculinity and emotion, leading some analysts to suggest it has undertones of one the year's biggest TV shows, Netflix drama Adolescence.

From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2025

Our fights are secret fights, conducted at night, when Sarah is asleep: a squabbling in undertones.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• connotation
• overtone
• tinge
• undercurrent