tone
noun
any sound considered with reference to its quality, pitch, strength, source, etc..
are toning
-
present progressiveof tone.present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
North Korean state media are toning down their traditionally hostile rhetoric, and presenting the North Korean leader as a warmer man, with a cleaner image.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2018
Although big-box stores — Target, Macy’s and Best Buy among them — continue to open Thanksgiving Day, many are toning down the hoopla.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 23, 2017
Companies that typically go for ads with shock value are toning them down as they try to get the most out of the estimated $4 million that 30-second Super Bowl spots cost this year.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 29, 2014
“I like that they have movement and are toning but also give me a chance to creatively express myself,” she said.
From New York Times ● Jun. 9, 2011
Meanwhile, the differences between the three are toning down; "Orthodoxy has become less 'orthodox' in the older European sense, so has the Reform movement grown more traditional, especially in very recent years."
From Time Magazine Archive
