TONE (DOWN) Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

tone (down)

verb

Definition of tone (down)

as in to mute

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tone (down)

Verb

Instead of the live stream being cut, or at the very least muted between players talking to reporters, KCRA's rolled on, and two female reporters in attendance were caught making quite the admissions about LaVine and Simmons.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Colors, especially reds, were often a bit muted, probably due to the combination of the limited color coverage and modest brightness.

— Tony Hoffman, PC Magazine, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of mute

Verb

At this point, Trump has relatively few options available to blunt new price shocks, the effects of which may be visible not just at the pump but also at the ballot box.

— Greg Pollock, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
Granted, the California heat waves could blunt any Nordic survival instinct.

— Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of blunt

Verb

Attempts to muffle creative voices through bullying and strong-arm tactics are fundamentally anti-American and have become all too common in recent years.

— Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 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

Then there is smell, dulled by our reliance on artificial fragrance; and sound, overwhelmed by notification pings.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026
Over time, that buildup can actually dull the finish and make the whole room feel less clean, even if everything else is spotless.

— Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of dull

Verb

Between announcements, conversations, engine noise, and everything else happening around you, reducing these additional sounds can make a long travel day much more comfortable.

— Julie Rousseau, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026
In fact, a 2025 study found that 28 percent of people with telogen effluvium had reduced ferritin levels, while no one in the control group had a deficiency.

— Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of reduce

Verb

The Nebraska researchers also found that hafnia becomes more stable as its thickness decreases.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
Rooms Since its 2023 renovation, the hotel’s capacity decreased from 104 rooms to just 80, made up of 44 rooms and 36 suites, all of which have gained a generous amount of space.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of decrease

Verb

The preset low-speed compression and rebound damping settings can be fine-tuned further with twelve clicks of compression adjustment and sixteen clicks of rebound adjustment.

— Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 23 Sep. 2026
Bimota retunes the Balance Free Fork with a low spring rate, firmer compression damping, and softer rebound, while the rear damper can adjust up to 30 millimeters with an eccentric bolt.

— Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of damp

Verb

The move comes after bullion fell sharply during Monday’s session amid concerns that rising bond yields could dampen appetite for non-interesting-bearing assets, like precious metals.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
What’s more, the tariffs could dampen the discovery of new medicines since these smaller firms tend to be more innovative, some experts argue.

— Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 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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“Tone (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tone%20%28down%29. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tone (down)

verb

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