The phrase “tone deaf” is usually meant to mean somebody …

https://www.musical-u.com/learn/can-someone-whos-tone-deaf-ever-become-a-musician/
The phrase “tone deaf” is usually meant to mean somebody can’t reliably tell one note from another. This is not an all-or-nothing ability though. The chances that you are actually tone deaf are actually very slim. Find out more here => https://www.musical-u.com/learn/can-someone-whos-tone-deaf-ever-become-a-musician/