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
-
So far, this release is having a more muted impact: Shares for Nvidia dropped by 0.6% Tuesday, while other stocks like Broadcom (1.6%) declined slightly.—
Sarah Whitmire,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
-
In the House, Republicans have largely been more muted.—
Deirdre Walsh,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Princess of Wales styled an Alexander McQueen coat in a subdued shade of green with Ralph Lauren over-the-knee boots.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Skewing your green selections toward a more earthy aesthetic will help set a more subdued tone that helps enhance your room’s overall design rather than trying to steal the show.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Dinner at Bavel, watching Liverpool play, quiet reading.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2025
-
The Atlanta Braves had a quiet winter that has been followed by a busy spring training.—
John Perrotto,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This production, which was more on the restrained side, was directed by Jose Maria Condemi.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Mar. 2025
-
The Honduran government has asked the U.S. to release the restrained deportees once the planes enter Honduran airspace, Paz said.—
Ronny Rojas,
NBC News,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Now, her stealthy-chic look could easily fly under the radar, as her navy toggle coat silhouette is a pretty timeless and understated design.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Ball, known for her unparalleled comedic timing, brings her signature wit and warmth to Helen, while Fonda plays Frank with a gentle humor and understated charm, all in service of promoting the film’s post-war optimism about blending families and building new lives.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 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
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Although Rubio didn’t directly cite a reason, his post linked to a story by the conservative Breitbart news site that reported on a talk Rasool gave on a webinar organized by a South African think tank.—
Gerald Imray,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2025
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Ruddy's name was mentioned nearly as much as Newsmax itself during a day-long hearing Friday in a defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems against the conservative network.—
Maddy Lauria,
NPR,
22 Mar. 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 31 Mar. 2025.
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