Meaning & use
socially tone-deaf
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Meaning
adjectivenot comparabledisapproving
Not understanding what is appropriate or sensitive to say in social situations, often causing offense.
Grammar: Used after linking verbs like be, seem, or sound; it is not usually used before a noun.
Patterns
- be socially tone-deaf
- seem socially tone-deaf
- a socially tone-deaf comment
His joke about the accident was completely socially tone-deaf.
The company's response seemed socially tone-deaf and made customers angrier.
She is not mean, but she can be socially tone-deaf at times.
Common combinations
- a socially tone-deaf comment
- The politician made a socially tone-deaf comment about poverty.
- seem socially tone-deaf
- The ad seemed socially tone-deaf to many viewers.
- socially tone-deaf response
- Their socially tone-deaf response to the crisis was widely criticized.
- come across as socially tone-deaf
- He came across as socially tone-deaf during the interview.
Synonyms and how they differ
- insensitive
- This is broader and can refer to feelings in general; socially tone-deaf focuses on not reading social situations.
- tactless
- This means saying things that upset people; it is close, but socially tone-deaf suggests a lack of awareness rather than just bad manners.
Opposites
Word family
- tone-deaf adjective
- Literally unable to hear differences in musical notes; also used figuratively for not understanding a mood or message.
Commonly confused: socially tone-deaf or tone-deaf?
socially tone-deaf vs tone-deaf
Tone-deaf alone can mean unable to hear music; socially tone-deaf is only about social behavior.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'socially tone-deaf' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Socially tone-deaf describes a remark or behavior that shows a lack of social awareness. The other options confuse it with the musical meaning of tone-deaf.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “socially tone-deaf”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.