tone deafness

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Word: Tone Deafness

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: Tone deafness is the inability to hear and distinguish different musical pitches. This means that a person who is tone-deaf might not be able to tell if a note is high or low, or they may sing out of tune without realizing it.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "tone deafness" when talking about music, singing, or a person's ability to hear musical notes.
• It’s often used to describe someone who struggles with singing or playing music accurately.

Example Sentences:

1. "Even though my friend loves to sing, her tone deafness makes it hard for her to hit the right notes."
2. "He didn’t realize he was tone deaf until he tried to join the choir."

Advanced Usage:

• In a broader sense, "tone deafness" can also refer to someone who is unaware of social cues or insensitivity in conversation. For example, "His comments about the situation showed a kind of social tone deafness."

Word Variants:

• Tone-deaf (adjective): Describing a person who has tone deafness.
  • Example: "She is tone-deaf, but she enjoys singing anyway."

Different Meanings:

• Tone deafness primarily refers to musical ability, but in a metaphorical sense, it can describe a lack of awareness in social situations.

Synonyms:

• Musically untrained: Lacking the ability to hear musical differences.
• Pitch deafness: Another term related to the inability to distinguish pitches.

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Out of tune": This refers to a musical performance that is not in harmony, often used in a similar context as tone deafness.

  • Example: "Her singing is always out of tune."

• "Sing off-key": To sing without the correct pitch, similar to being tone-deaf.

Academic

Noun

1. an inability to distinguish differences in pitch

Synonyms

• tin ear