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Tunelessly: meaning, definitions and examples

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tunelessly

 

[ ˈtjuːnləsli ]

Adverb
Context #1 | Adverb

manner of singing

Tunelessly refers to performing music, especially singing, in a manner that lacks melody or harmony. It implies a disregard for the musical tone, resulting in an unappealing auditory experience. Often, it is used to describe someone who sings or plays an instrument without adherence to the correct pitches or musical notes. This term can also playfully refer to someone who enjoys singing, despite their lack of musical skill.

Synonyms

discordantly, incoherently, off-key.

Examples of usage

  • She sang tunelessly during the karaoke night.
  • The child hummed tunelessly while playing in the backyard.
  • Despite her efforts, the band played tunelessly at the event.

Translations

Translations of the word "tunelessly" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desafinado

🇮🇳 स्वरहीनता

🇩🇪 melodielos

🇮🇩 tanpa nada

🇺🇦 безмелодійно

🇵🇱 bez melodii

🇯🇵 メロディなしで

🇫🇷 sans mélodie

🇪🇸 sin melodía

🇹🇷 melodisiz

🇰🇷 멜로디 없이

🇸🇦 بدون لحن

🇨🇿 bez melodie

🇸🇰 bez melódie

🇨🇳 无旋律

🇸🇮 brez melodije

🇮🇸 án melódíu

🇰🇿 мелодиясыз

🇬🇪 მელოდიური გარეშე

🇦🇿 melodiyasız

🇲🇽 sin melodía

Etymology

The word tunelessly is derived from the adjective 'tuneless', which itself consists of 'tune' and the suffix '-less'. 'Tune' traces its origins back to the Old English 'tunian', meaning to perform or sing, combined with the suffix '-less', which indicates the absence of something. The transformation into an adverb form 'tunelessly' conveys the manner in which an action is performed, notably the absence of melody or tunefulness. Over time, it accumulated connotations related to dissonance and lack of musical acuity, often used humorously or critically in the context of musical performances.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #40,753, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.