tone-setter

noun

: a person or thing that determines or establishes a quality, feeling, or attitude
I like to use the joke as a tone-setter for my speeches.

Examples of tone-setter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The rookie held her own against Dream tone-setter Jordin Canada, who finished with 23 points, five rebounds and eight assists. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 Swift may have scored three times, but his longest run — 32 yards in the first quarter — was also a true tone-setter. — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Myles Baker, Sierra Canyon, safety, senior Baker is the physical tone-setter and captain for Sierra Canyon. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026 Paul wants the offensive line to be a tone-setter, a goal that’s apparently been stated by offensive line coach Zach Yenser. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tone-setter

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Cite this Entry

“Tone-setter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tone-setter. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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