TONE POLICING Definition & Meaning

tone policing

[ tohn puh-lee-sing ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a conversational tactic that dismisses the ideas being communicated when they are perceived to be delivered in an angry, frustrated, sad, fearful, or otherwise emotionally charged manner: Tone policing can silence the narratives of oppressed populations.
It’s condescending to shut down an argument through tone policing.
Tone policing can silence the narratives of oppressed populations.

Discover More

Other �y��vlog Forms

�ٴǲԱ�-��·�� verb (used with object) tonepoliced tonepolicing
tone po·lice plural noun

Discover More

�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of tone policing¹

First recorded in 2015–20

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Hersey is a Black man, which makes this tone policing particularly egregious.

From

Or maybe I’m just tone policing, being thin-skinned, defensive and deflective.

From

Ms. Tlaib quickly responded with a tweet stating “House Democratic leadership should be ashamed of its relentless, exclusive tone policing of Congresswomen of color.”

From

The episode, the latest dust-up between the House Democratic establishment and the progressive “Squad,” prompted Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Michigan Democrat, to tweet Thursday that “House Democratic leadership should be ashamed of its relentless, exclusive tone policing of Congresswomen of color.”

From

“House Democratic leadership should be ashamed of its relentless, exclusive tone policing of Congresswomen of color.”

From

Browse