intone

UK: /ɪnˈtəʊn/ US: /ɪnˈtoʊn/ ,(in tōn′)

Inflections of 'intone' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

intones

v 3rd person singular

intoning

v pres p

intoned

v past

intoned

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•tone /ɪnˈtoʊn/   v., -toned, -ton•ing. 

1. to speak or recite in a singing voice or with a particular tone, esp. with a slow, even tone with little change in pitch: [~ + object]
   to intone prayers for the dead.
   [used with quotations]
   "Welcome to the Department of Motor Vehicles,'' the recording intoned.

in•ton•er, n. [countable] See -ton-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

in•tone  (in tōn′), v., -toned, -ton•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to utter with a particular tone or voice modulation.
2. to give tone or variety of tone to;
   vocalize.
3. to utter in a singing voice (the first tones of a section in a liturgical service).
4. to recite or chant in monotone.

v.i. 

5. to speak or recite in a singing voice, esp. in monotone;
   chant.
6. Music and Dance to produce a tone, or a particular series of tones, like a scale, esp. with the voice.

• Medieval Latin; see in-², tone
• Middle French entoner
• Medieval Latin intonāre; replacing earlier entone
• 1475–85

in•ton′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

intone / ɪnˈtəʊn/ verb

1. to utter, recite, or sing (a chant, prayer, etc) in a monotonous or incantatory tone
2. (intransitive) to speak with a particular or characteristic intonation or tone
3. to sing (the opening phrase of a psalm, etc) in plainsong

Etymology: 15th Century: from Medieval Latin intonare, from in-² + tone

inˈtoner noun