tony

1 of 2

adjective

variants or less commonly toney
tonier; toniest
: marked by an aristocratic or high-toned manner or style
tony private schools

Tony

2 of 2

noun

To·​ny ˈtō-nē How to pronounce Tony (audio)
plural Tonys
: a medallion awarded annually by a professional organization for notable achievement in the theater

Examples of tony in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
If a Black man was allowed to buy a home in a desirable neighborhood — adjoining tony St. Francis Wood in the Sunset District — nearby property values would tumble. George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2024 Lately, he’s reinvented himself as the TV business’s go-to man for these kinds of tony literary adaptations, like Big Little Lies or Netflix’s A Man in Full from earlier this year. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2024 The Third Ward is known as one of the tonier neighborhoods in the city, Berhard writes, one that draws fashion-minded locals and out-of-town visitors to the upscale shops and higher-end restaurants that flourish in this ever-vibrant Milwaukee enclave. Steven Martinez, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024 The race for New York’s 3rd Congressional District — which includes a sliver of eastern Queens and swaths of Long Island’s tony North Shore — carries significant symbolic and practical weight. Tim Balk, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tony 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tony.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Tony, nickname of Antoinette Perry †1946 American actress & producer

First Known Use

Adjective

1877, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tony was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near tony

Cite this Entry

“Tony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tony. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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