1
a
: a pleasing succession of musical tones : melody
b
: a dominant theme
2
: correct musical pitch or consonance
—used chiefly in the phrases in tune and out of tune
3
5
a
: manner of utterance : intonation
specifically
: phonetic modulation
b
archaic
: quality of sound : tone
tuned; tuning
1
: to adjust in musical pitch or cause to be in tune
tuned her guitar
2
a
: to bring into harmony : attune
b
: to adjust for precise functioning
—often used with up
tune up an engine
c
: to make more precise, intense, or effective
3
: to adjust with respect to resonance at a particular frequency: such as
a
: to adjust (a radio or television receiver) to respond to waves of a particular frequency
—often used with in
b
: to establish radio contact with
tune in a directional beacon
4
: to adjust the frequency of the output of (a device) to a chosen frequency or range of frequencies
also
: to alter the frequency of (radiation)
1
: to become attuned
2
: to adjust a radio or television receiver to respond to waves of a particular frequency
Examples of tune in a Sentence
Noun
hummed a little tune while I sorted the laundry
your negative assessment of the restaurant seems to be in tune with the opinions of the critics
Verb
The piano needs to be tuned.
We tuned our bikes before the road trip.
The mechanic tuned the engine.
The copilot tuned the radio to hear the message.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
The Jurassic Park alum, who stars as the Wizard of Oz in Jon M. Chu’s impending musical adaptation, performed an intimate rendition of a Wicked number and two Christmas tunes as travelers and shoppers watched on.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024
Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
How to Stream Kamala Harris’ Pre-Election Day Rally with Cable
Those who want to watch live TV coverage of Harris’ Vote for Freedom rallies in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania can tune into national news channels including ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, PBS and others starting at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m.
—Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tune 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Noun
The band’s discography is packed with memorable tunes, the kind that millions of people can sing by heart, even decades after they were released.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
The Jurassic Park alum, who stars as the Wizard of Oz in Jon M. Chu’s impending musical adaptation, performed an intimate rendition of a Wicked number and two Christmas tunes as travelers and shoppers watched on.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
An estimated 56% of all TV viewership in the country was tuned into the Tyson-Paul fight between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
How to Stream Kamala Harris’ Pre-Election Day Rally with Cable
Those who want to watch live TV coverage of Harris’ Vote for Freedom rallies in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania can tune into national news channels including ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, PBS and others starting at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m.
—Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tune
Dictionary Entries Near tune
Cite this Entry
“Tune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tune. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tune
1 of 2 noun1
: a succession of pleasing musical tones : melody
2
: correct musical pitch or consonance
the piano was not in tune
3
: agreement sense 1b, harmony
in tune with the times
4
: general attitude
changed their tune after reading the report
tune
2 of 2 verb
tuned; tuning
1
: to adjust in musical pitch
tuned my guitar
the orchestra was tuning up
2
: to come or bring into harmony
3
: to adjust a radio or television so that it receives clearly
—often used with in
4
: to put (as an engine) in good working order
—often used with up
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