tone up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal
Quick answer
What does “tone up” mean?
To make one's muscles firmer and stronger through exercise.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To make one's muscles firmer and stronger through exercise.
To improve the condition, strength, or quality of something; to become more vigorous, defined, or effective.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. UK usage may be slightly more common in general health/fitness contexts, while US usage may appear more frequently in marketing or self-help contexts.
Connotations
Slightly aspirational, associated with fitness goals and self-improvement.
Frequency
Medium frequency in both varieties, common in lifestyle, fitness, and wellness discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “tone up” in a Sentence
[Subject] tones up[Subject] tones up [Object][Subject] tones [Object] upVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tone up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She started swimming to tone up before the holiday.
- Pilates is excellent for toning up your core.
- I really need to tone up my thighs.
American English
- He's hitting the gym to tone up for summer.
- This workout will tone up your arms.
- Let's tone up the security protocol a bit.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Can be used metaphorically: 'We need to tone up our customer service procedures.'
Academic
Very rare outside of sports science or physiology texts.
Everyday
Common in conversations about fitness, health, and personal goals.
Technical
Used in fitness training, physiotherapy, and health sciences.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “tone up”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “tone up”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tone up”
- Using 'tone up' for weight loss specifically (it's about muscle firmness).
- Incorrect separable usage: 'I tone up my muscles' is fine, but 'I tone my muscles up' is less common.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Tone up' specifically refers to increasing muscle firmness and definition. Weight loss may occur, but it's not the primary meaning.
Yes, it can be used figuratively. For example: 'The company needs to tone up its internal communications.'
For the body, the opposite is to lose muscle tone or become 'soft'. The direct antonym as a phrasal verb is 'tone down', which means to reduce intensity.
Yes, this is a common collocation in skincare, meaning to improve skin's firmness and elasticity.
To make one's muscles firmer and stronger through exercise.
Tone up is usually informal in register.
Tone up: in British English it is pronounced /təʊn ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /toʊn ʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Tone up or ship out.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a musician tuning a string to make it tighter and produce a better tone – your muscles are being 'tuned up'.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS AN INSTRUMENT / IMPROVEMENT IS TIGHTENING
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'tone up' correctly?