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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

dial back en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, transitive) To reduce (one's energy or intensity); to restrain (a feeling or action).
    • The Des Moines station asked him to dial back his coverage, facing what he called an understandable pressure to maintain ratings. 2023 July 9, AP, “‘You should have seen this note’: US meteorologists harassed for reporting on climate crisis”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
dialed back Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part US lexicographic
dialed back Tense=Past US lexicographic
dialling back Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part UK lexicographic
dialing back Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part US lexicographic
dialled back Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part UK lexicographic
dialled back Tense=Past UK lexicographic
dials back Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Antonyms

dial up · ratchet up

Synonyms

de-emphasize · downplay