undertone Definition
under·tone (-tōn′)
noun
- a low tone of sound or voice
- a faint or subdued color, esp. one seen through other colors, as in some glazes
- any underlying quality, factor, element, etc. an undertone of horror
undertone Synonyms
undertone Usage Examples
Preposition: of
- suggestion: What makes the whole thing even more despicable is the ever-so-slightly racist undertones of the suggestion.
- sadness: But there was, throughout a large portion of those decades, also an undertone of sadness for the atrocities of the Vietnam War.
Converse of object
- have: Even the slight comic relief of the three Imperial Ministers has a sinister undertone.
- carry: Today, brand names like Nike or Gap carry sinister undertones.
- see: I saw the Undertones in Cork in 1980 and I saw the Stranglers in Cork in 1977 and 1979.
- contain: His brightly colored paintings of buildings and landscapes, slightly off kilter, often contain spiritual undertones.
- provide: What provides the deep, sonorous undertone to the individual's expression, is the evocation of the eternal dance.
- menace: Life with the Yorkshiremen always carried menacing undertones and Everton were on a short fuse, fully wound up and all ready to go.
Adjective modifier
- sinister: Today, brand names like Nike or Gap carry sinister undertones.
- racist: This can range from verbal banter, including insults, jokes and comments with sexual or racist undertones, to unwelcome physical abuse.
- subtle: I would also like to comment briefly on what I perceive as a subtle negative undertone with respect to contribution of the private sector.
- dark: I like making my images bright and exciting both visually and in their mood, but then also having a darker undertone to them.
- sexual: Apart from the sexual undertones, I enjoyed the moral certitude.
- serious: I really enjoyed how the film wasn't afraid to touch on Lucy's illness with serious undertones.
Noun used with modifier
- chocolate: Spicy nut and oak vanilla as well as chocolate undertones are present with mineral tones.
- fruit: Oatmeal Stout ( 4.5 % ) Malty beer with chocolate roast notes and berry fruit undertones.
- pepper: Tasting Note: Crimson in color, with flavors of blackberry and black pepper undertones.
- oak: Vintage: 2003 Price: £ 14.00 Shiraz ( Australia ) Salisbury Ripe, plummy fruit on the nose with cedary oak undertones.
- rock: This is good because it combines Manfred's trade mark moog style with lots of jazz and rock undertones around a classical theme.
Browse dictionary entries near undertone
- ‹ undertint
- ‹ underthrow
- ‹ underthings
- ‹ undertaking
- ‹ undertaker
- ‹ undertaken
- ‹ undertake
- ‹ undersurface
- ‹ understudy
- ‹ understrength
- undertook ›
- undertow ›
- undertrick ›
- underutilize ›
- undervalue ›
- undervalued ›
- undervest ›
- underwater ›
- underwater option ›
- underway ›

