Dictionary

tone down en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive) To relax; to make quieter or less obtrusive; to make milder.
   • Ask them to tone down that orange and pink color scheme a bit.
   • I hope they’ll tone it down and stop arguing so much.
   • There it all lay beneath us like a map; its thousand hues toned down harmoniously by the summer haze, and 'the eye was not filled with seeing,' nor the spirit with the intoxicating sight of infinitely various life and form in perfectest repose. 1849 July, Charles Kingsley, “North Devon”, in Prose Idylls, New and Old, London: Macmillan and Co., published 1873, →OCLC, page 265:
2. (ambitransitive, figuratively) To moderate or relax; to diminish or weaken the striking characteristics of; to soften.
   • The best method for the purpose in hand was to employ some one of a character and position suited to get possession of their confidence, and then use it to tone down their religious strictness, and, if circumstances should favor, to disturb the ecclesiastical constitution which they had set up. 1858, John Gorham Palfrey, chapter VI, in History of New England during the Stuart Dynasty. […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown, and Company, →OCLC, book I, page 218:
   • “Well, I posted it, and I wouldn’t have posted it if I didn’t kind of believe it,” said Mr. Prevost, who added that he would “probably tone it down” now that his brother was the Vicar of Jesus Christ. 2025 May 13, Richard Fausset, quoting Louis Prevost, “The Pope’s Florida Brother, a MAGA Disciple, Plans to ‘Tone It Down’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
3. (ambitransitive) To make a television program, piece of writing, etc. less offensive and so more suitable for a family audience.

Forms

Antonyms

tone up

Relateds

water down

Translations (8)

pl stonować (Translations) · es atenuar (Translations) · es moderar (Translations) · fa کمتر کردن (Translations) · es suavizar (Translations) · pl tonować (Translations) · pl złagodzić (Translations) · pl łagodzić (Translations)