take the edge off

phrase

: 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

The meltemi, a northerly wind over the Aegean, can take the edge off a hot beach afternoon while roughening the sea enough to disrupt ferries. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

Wear breathable fabrics, carry a portable fan, stay hydrated and avoid sweat triggers like caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods can take the edge off. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 28 Aug. 2026

Summer is also the hottest time of year, though cooling northerly winds can take the edge off. — Helen Iatrou, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026

But by the mid-1930s, Soviet leaders sensed that people needed something to take the edge off in the dead of winter, a carnivalesque custom of the sort that Christmas once provided. — Andrew Fedorov, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025

Rhymes for take the edge off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff