Dictionary

tone-deaf en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

1. Unable to clearly distinguish the difference in pitch between different notes.
   • This is a distinction unavailable to the tone-deaf.
   • Although he was tone-deaf, he was a great lyricist.
2. (colloquial) Having little or a shallow or banal appreciation of music, whether or not as a result of tone deafness.
3. (colloquial, figuratively) Out of touch with the experience of ordinary people.
   • a politician's tone-deaf remarks about the price of bread
   • The elected official's tone-deaf remarks about the operations of the clerk’s office were disappointing.
4. (colloquial, figuratively) Insensitive and offensive as a result of not noticing the current social context.
   • The campaign – which Fast Company described as “eyebrow-raising”, “controversial” and “tone-deaf” – did not land well. 2024 May 21, Arwa Mahdawi, “Sex-positive feminism had its moment – and now it has been replaced by voluntary celibacy”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • Otherwise, saying “N-word” is plenty accurate; I knew exactly what you meant. And arguing for your need to use an explosive term, when a common euphemism will do, makes you seem defensive and tone-deaf. 2023 May 24, Philip Galanes, “I Used a Slur for Accuracy When Repeating a Joke. Why Is Everyone Upset?”, in The New York Times:

Forms

Deriveds

tone-deafly · tone-deafness

Relateds

tin ear · have Van Gogh's ear for music · amusia · perfect pitch · stone deaf · can't carry a tune in a bucket

Translations (50)

es insensible (insensitive and offensive) · nl klankendoof (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · de abgehoben (out of touch) · he חירש לצלילים (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · hu botfülű (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · it che non ha orecchio (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · ko 음치(音癡)의 (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · sv tondöv (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · no tonedøv (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · pl pozbawiony słuchu muzycznego (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · bg немузикален (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · uk ведмідь на вухо наступив (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · pl odklejony (out of touch) · de ohne Bezug (out of touch) · fr qui n'a pas d'oreille (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · cs hudebně hluchý (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · id tidak peka (insensitive and offensive) · pl oderwany od rzeczywistości (out of touch) · id tuli nada (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · ru медве́дь на у́хо наступи́л (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · id buta nada (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · pl pozbawiony wyczucia (out of touch) · ms pekak nada (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · ru не различа́ющий отте́нков зву́ка (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · id buta kenyataan (out of touch) · fr hors-sol (out of touch) · sv tondöv (out of touch) · sv tondöv (insensitive and offensive) · es desubicado (out of touch) · de ohne Gefühl für Tonhöhen (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · es sin oído musical (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · de unangebracht (insensitive and offensive) · ru немузыка́льный (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · pl niewrażliwy (insensitive and offensive) · ca dur d'orella (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · pl nieczuły (insensitive and offensive) · cmn 音痴的 (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · nl toondoof (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · de keinen Draht (haben) (out of touch) · fr déconnecté (out of touch) · fi sävelkuuro (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · th ซึ่งแยกแยะเสียงสูงต่ำของดนตรีไม่ได้ (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · de ohne musikalisches Gehör (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · de geschmacklos (insensitive and offensive) · ja 音痴の (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · ar أَصَمّ لِلطَّبَقَات الصَوْتِيَّة (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · pl nietaktowny (insensitive and offensive) · pt amúsico (unable to distinguish differences in pitch) · de weltfremd (out of touch) · de taktlos (if impolite) (insensitive and offensive)