tone (down)

verb

Definition of tone (down)next
as in to mute

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tone (down)
  1. mute
  2. blunt
  3. muffle
  4. dull
  5. reduce
  6. decrease
  7. damp
  8. dampen
Verb
  • His social media accounts on Xiaohongshu and Weibo were also subsequently muted, according to Renmin Ruiping, People's Daily's online commentary platform.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Investor reaction was muted, with the three major indexes remaining essentially flat after the Fed's announcement.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of mute
Verb
  • Paxton needs to run up the score in west Texas while Talarico seeks to blunt his advantage in the region while racking up big margins in the state’s sprawling metro areas of Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Modern interceptor missile technology has advanced to the point where even massive, multi-tiered attacks can be blunted with a high degree of probability.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of blunt
Verb
  • The sullen tribute to Payne settled the room into a cool near-silence, punctured by quiet gasps and muffled crying.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2026
  • After two hours of practice, with the 10-foot-tall fences doing little to muffle the bullhorn orders and corresponding groans, the huddle broke and the personalities sprung to life.
    — Noah White, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of muffle
Verb
  • Some cleaners can dull the floor’s finish, cause damage, or leave streaks.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The primary effects generally wear off in less than an hour, but a person’s senses may remain dulled and their judgment and coordination impaired for several hours afterward.
    — Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of dull
Verb
  • By controlling how densely cancer-targeting proteins are displayed on the virus, the team developed vaccine particles that significantly reduced tumor development in mice.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Research suggests standard time better aligns with our circadian rhythm, or internal clock, and reduces the risk of health complications.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • Her priorities include lowering costs by expanding Medicaid, fully funded pre-kindergarten and decreasing property taxes in a sustainable way.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Taurine is a checkpoint of inflammation Dixit expected that taurine levels might decrease with age.
    — Kristel Tjandra, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • The first two days are likely to feature weather interruptions and damp conditions suited to bowlers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Suspension is taken care of by 43-mm upside-down forks with adjustable rebound and compression damping, and an adjustable central spring strut at the rear.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of damp
Verb
  • Rain chances rise late this week and could dampen Halloween plans, the National Weather Service said.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Bolsonaro’s move did not dampen celebrations over Lula’s historic achievement.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of dampen
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

toned (down)
tone (down)
toned (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Tone (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tone%20%28down%29. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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