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.

---

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

---

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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

"There was a sinister undertone and it was difficult to build rapport," she wrote in a statement.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2025

And that adds a particularly tragic undertone to the coming persecution of the capital’s homeless people: Studies show that most homeless people were residents before they lost their homes.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2025

“Don’t worry about me,” said Sarai with feigned carelessness, but as she went out to the gallery she added, in an undertone only she could hear, “I don’t think we have to worry about forever.”

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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

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

European dance music rhythms collide with contemporary hip-hop deliveries and progressive metal bass undertones as if they were always meant to coalesce.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 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

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