: unvarying in tone or emphasis : monotonous
a one-note campaigner

Examples of one-note in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The flavors are balanced even though the pistachio profile is front and center, and the addition of coconut and pistachios both in the cake and sprinkled on top keep it from feeling one-note. Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026 Part of the problem is that Otone, whose maternal feelings are the heart of the story, is a strangely one-note character. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2026 Mix the Genres Craig’s playlists are anything but one-note. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 10 May 2026 The cheese ends up being pretty one-note, like hot honey with an aftertaste of goat’s milk. Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for one-note

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-note was in 1956

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“One-note.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-note. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster