Sample Sentences for
undertone
grouped by contextual meaning
(editor-reviewed)

undertone as in:  a subtle undertone

Show 3 more with this contextual meaning
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    She creates humorous art works with serious undertones.
    undertones = characteristics that are less obvious
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    An undertone of disrespect slipped through.
    undertone = subtle characteristic
  • •
    An undertone of sarcasm and self-parody help make the series popular.
    undertone = less obvious characteristic
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  • •
    Gurney accepted the bundle, puzzled by the hard undertones in this conversation.†  (source)
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    His invitation might have passed as casual, were it not for the undertone.  (source)
    undertone = underlying quality
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    I hear the undertones now that shimmer under the surface of the words right and wrong.†  (source)
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    PROCTOR, with a violent undertone: You doubt me yet?  (source)
    undertone = expression in tone-of-voice
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    The undertones in Reyna's voice took Annabeth a moment to decipher.†  (source)
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    Despite the steady musical undertone in his speaking voice Finny couldn't carry a tune, and he couldn't remember the melody or the words to any song.  (source)
    undertone = underlying quality
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    The interdiction field added its sonic undertones to the sudden silence.†  (source)
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    He puts his jacket around her shoulders. Old tweed, old tobacco, a singed odour. An undertone of salt.  (source)
    undertone = subtle trace
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    For two vast days we struggled in undertones and wrestling contests.†  (source)
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    The deep sea breaking miles away on the reef made an undertone less perceptible than the susurration of the blood.  (source)
    undertone = soft sound
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undertone as in:  said in an undertone

•
They spoke in undertones.
undertones = quiet voices
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  • •
    She muttered something in an undertone too low for me to hear.
    undertone = quiet voice
  • •
    "Ginny," said Ron in an undertone to Harry.  (source)
    undertone = a very quiet or hushed voice
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    "Well," I qualified in an undertone, "he really is Madame Chiang Kai-shek."  (source)
    undertone = quiet voice
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  • •
    The two speak together in an undertone.  (source)
    undertone = a very quiet or hushed voice
  • •
    "Thou art the master," said Bagheera in an undertone.  (source)
    undertone = quiet voice
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    As I stood behind the table, Reenie in an undertone retailed the latest news.  (source)
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    "You're humming again," Seivarden said in an undertone.†  (source)
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    Stilgar's voice lost some of its subtle undertone of reasoning, took on an edge of bitterness.†  (source)
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    "It's Xandra with an X," she said in a gravelly undertone.†  (source)
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    The undertone of the fires.†  (source)
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    Helene asks me in an undertone.†  (source)
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    They were friendly and matter-of-fact, with a slight undertone of setting me straight which was simply in the nature of our relationship.†  (source)
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    She gave off a fetid traveler's warmth, cigarette smoke, busseat smell, a winy undertone from what they'd drunk, the crack-ery smell of snow melted into unwashed hair, a flowery heat from her armpits.†  (source)
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