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
Adjective
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
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Its muted victory comes as Hollywood prepares to celebrate itself at the Oscars on Sunday, bringing an end to one of the most tumultuous awards seasons in recent memory.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
2 Mar. 2025
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More:Federal judge blocks Trump’s refugee suspension The muted, business-like atmosphere at the Principles First Summit − a gathering of anti-Trump Republicans, right-leaning independents and disgruntled Democrats - in downtown Washington D.C. matched the lack of political fire power.—
Zac Anderson,
USA TODAY,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Last year, Marina traded the glitz and glam of her pop persona for the more subdued reflections of a poet.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
21 Feb. 2025
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The analyst contended that while Amazon issued a subdued outlook and announced a huge increase in capital expenditure, its margins surpassed expectations and the cloud business AWS (Amazon Web Services) fared better than its peers.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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So rather than maintain the quiet, peaceful sleep environment any young child needs, her daughter found her serenity disrupted by the sound of her mom crashing to the floor having tried to sit on a chair that simply wasn't there.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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The Holmdel building was the next step, a gleaming, impeccable prism meant to contain thousands of scientists in splendid quiet isolation.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Though the Franco-American relationship had cooled by then, Trump and Macron shook hands in a somewhat restrained manner. 2024: The Shake Seen Around The World Last December, Trump, Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Paris ahead of the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
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The commissioner’s restrained view of the FTC’s mission was inconsistent with Roosevelt’s policy agenda, which was the reason the president gave for dismissing him.—
Jacob Sullum,
Orange County Register,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Both looks seem to make a subtle and understated reference to the yellow American lotus flower.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2025
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Goggins is playing at the most understated end of his range, as Rick is for the most part emotionally closed off and tight-lipped.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 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
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Liver damage can be reduced if the person stops drinking.—
George Petras,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Do conservative standard operating procedures inhibit innovative or entrepreneurial explorations capable of enhancing profitability?—
John Cairney,
Sportico.com,
27 Feb. 2025
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Despite conservative elation, there already are signs that some of Trump’s moves could backfire.—
Zac Anderson,
USA TODAY,
27 Feb. 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
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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-down. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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