tone down

British  

verb

1. (adverb) to moderate or become moderated in tone

   to tone down an argument

   to tone down a bright colour

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tone down Idioms  

1. Make less vivid, harsh, or violent; moderate. For example, That's a little too much rouge; I'd tone it down a bit, or Do you think I should tone down this letter of complaint? This idiom uses tone in the sense of “adjust the tone or quality of something,” as does the antonym, tone up, meaning “brighten or strengthen.” For example, These curtains will tone up the whole room, or This exercise is said to tone up the triceps. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

A longtime coach would have told him to tone down such commentary, but oh right: Alcaraz released his longtime coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, a few weeks ago.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

Whatever happens, I don’t believe for a second that we’ll see Stewart back down, Meyers pull his punches in his “Closer Look” segments, or Kimmel tone down his monologues.

From Salon • Jul. 20, 2025

The Panthers usually tone down the extracurricular activities during the regular season, mostly to ensure the team’s playoff longevity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2025

"I used to be flashy, but now I had to tone down because of my dogs."

From BBC • May 31, 2025

Maybe I needed to tone down my part in it, become more responsible, listen to Mamá—wash some dishes or do some laundry for a change.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

Related Words

• dampen
• dim
• mitigate
• modulate
• play down
• restrain
• soften
• temper