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
This design sleight of hand transforms a highly technical area into a tony lounge. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 Their home in the tony Gilbert neighborhood of Whitewing was targeted in a dramatic Nov. 6 police raid. The Arizona Republic, 27 Feb. 2024 The rural area, roughly 30 miles north of the tony shops and vineyards of Calistoga, is a world away from the Bay Area. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024 Silversea guests enjoy all-suite staterooms with butler service and an all-around tony atmosphere. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 12 Feb. 2024 The two wealthy women live in Hong Kong’s tony Victoria Peak neighborhood, as well as Mercy (Ji-young Yoo), the American drifter who complicates both of their lives. Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024 The course, a rectangular piece of property between the tony Brentwood neighborhood and Sunset Boulevard, is a haven for pure iron players and Woods has long been among the best. Doug Ferguson, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024 We’re seated across from one another in the bustling lobby of the Pendry, a tony hotel in Park City, Utah, and the Succession star has just clocked a middle-aged man not-so-surreptitiously snapping several photos of him from across the room. Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2024 Bankers and traders spend months counting on their bonuses to pay for tony private schools and club memberships. Jan-Henrik Foerster, Fortune Europe, 9 Feb. 2024

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 29 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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