Overtone/ˈəʊvərtəʊn/ Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Layer Overtone adds a layer of emotion or attitude to a statement, not just fact. His compliment had an overtone of sarcasm. Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Implication An overtone is often not direct but suggests something indirectly. She noticed a threatening overtone in their warning. Pro Tip 3/3Context Sensitivity Understand the context to accurately identify the overtone. Despite the apology, there was an overtone of blame.