take the edge off
idiom
: to make (something) weaker or less severe
a medication that takes the edge off the pain
A glass of milk will take the edge off your hunger/appetite.
Examples of take the edge off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fly fishing, tubing, rafting, and kayaking will get you out on the Toccoa River, and a selection of nearby breweries and wineries take the edge off an otherwise warm day.
—
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024
Alcohol doesn’t take the edge off; alcohol is the edge.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2024
An appointment at a luxury department store can take the edge off.
—Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 17 Dec. 2023
Enter: scrolling TikTok for hours, binging reruns of a comfort show, or reaching for some vice or another to take the edge off.
—Anna Borges, SELF, 21 Dec. 2023
So many of us tried to find things to take the edge off.
—Thembi Banks, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2023
The trucking company’s failure helped take the edge off the quarter for the division, which saw operating income decline 26% during the quarter.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN, 20 Sep. 2023
Find your balance and take the edge off with Joy Organics CBD Gummies. 28.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 17 June 2023
Over time, therapies that focus on the mind-body link, including homeopathy, yoga, somatic therapy, EMDR therapy, and acupuncture, seem to take the edge off.
—Anjali Enjeti, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023
Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024
Alcohol doesn’t take the edge off; alcohol is the edge.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2024
An appointment at a luxury department store can take the edge off.
—Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 17 Dec. 2023
Enter: scrolling TikTok for hours, binging reruns of a comfort show, or reaching for some vice or another to take the edge off.
—Anna Borges, SELF, 21 Dec. 2023
So many of us tried to find things to take the edge off.
—Thembi Banks, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2023
The trucking company’s failure helped take the edge off the quarter for the division, which saw operating income decline 26% during the quarter.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN, 20 Sep. 2023
Find your balance and take the edge off with Joy Organics CBD Gummies. 28.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 17 June 2023
Over time, therapies that focus on the mind-body link, including homeopathy, yoga, somatic therapy, EMDR therapy, and acupuncture, seem to take the edge off.
—Anjali Enjeti, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take the edge off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near take the edge off
Cite this Entry
“Take the edge off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20edge%20off. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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