set the tone

idiom

: to establish a quality, feeling, or attitude by a manner of speaking or writing

Her lighthearted question set the tone for the rest of the interview.

Examples of set the tone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Here’s hoping district elections continue to set the tone for a diverse and community-focused city. —

Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 20 Nov. 2024 Your ability to act calm and focused will set the tone in the workplace. —

Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Perhaps more than Baku’s leadership, the outcomes of the U.S. election will set the tone for the upcoming COP. —

Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024 Berra disagreed with the call to his grave, but Robinson's famous steal of home in Game 1 off Ford set the tone for the series and showed the Dodgers wouldn't be pushed around like the five previous defeats by New York. —

Mark Osborne, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for set the tone

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“Set the tone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set%20the%20tone. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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