as in muted
not excessively showy
after such a heated argument, it was a relief to hear someone use toned-down language to state their position
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Recent Examples of toned (down)
Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Its colorful striped pattern is toned-down ever so slightly by a pair of fashion flip-flops from Massimo Dutti and Haight’s chestnut-colored swimsuit.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 4 July 2024
For her, that meant toned-down, muted pinks and mauve desert tones.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024
Verb
Perhaps another reason is that, with the exception of a few suits, men’s looks at the Grammys largely were underwhelming, and that may have also been the result of wanting to look more toned-down out of respect for victims of the wildfires.
—Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Its colorful striped pattern is toned-down ever so slightly by a pair of fashion flip-flops from Massimo Dutti and Haight’s chestnut-colored swimsuit.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 4 July 2024
For her, that meant toned-down, muted pinks and mauve desert tones.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toned (down)
Adjective
-
Wall Street is tracking for a muted open after the S & P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq ended yesterday's session at another record close.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
22 July 2025
-
Julia is dressed quite plainly in servants’ clothing, while Henry looks slightly more well-to-do, though he’s also fitted in muted browns (and notably is wearing a kilt!).—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Over the past three months, Trump has been engaged in multiple rounds of saber-rattling and often intense negotiations with U.S. trading partners that have jangled nerves but nonetheless coincided with a subdued but solid pace of economic growth.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
30 July 2025
-
Should the labor market weaken and inflation remain relatively subdued, more interest rate cuts are possible.—
Simon Moore,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
Accessible only by boat, the island features quiet trails, pebble beaches, and one campsite on the north end.—
Katherine Lawless,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Aug. 2025
-
At least the Cubs can take heart knowing the 64-44 Brewers, their chief rival in the NL Central, also stayed quiet.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Several Republican members who spent years hyping up the Epstein case remained restrained in criticizing the White House's handling of the matter.—
John Parkinson,
ABC News,
24 July 2025
-
This restrained color story feels fresh yet timeless.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
Manhattan Accent Chair Create a favorite reading spot with this refined and understated accent chair from Stewart’s line.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
People.com,
3 Aug. 2025
-
At the start of this delicate and understated love story, which took home the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance earlier this year, Anand (Bhushaan Manoj) and his family tearfully gather in a hospital waiting room.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
30 July 2025
Verb
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The final amount could be affected by two factors — the number of claims and how much of the settlement fund is reduced to cover legal fees and costs.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2025
-
Liver damage can be reduced if the person stops drinking.—
George Petras,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Crawford, 60, defeated conservative Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel in the April 1 election.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Michael Petrilli, president of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute, said Schwinn’s withdrawal reflects poorly on the Republican Party.—
Erica Meltzer,
The Tennessean,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Lepers’s case study offers a test of whether the same is true in your 50s, or whether the body’s adaptive potential is so blunted that some of the losses become permanent.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside Online,
23 Dec. 2024
-
On a third day, exercising afterwards blunted my Lingo Count by a few points.—
Meg Tirrell,
CNN,
29 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Toned (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toned%20%28down%29. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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