as in muted
not excessively showy
after such a heated argument, it was a relief to hear someone use toned-down language to state their position
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Recent Examples of toned-down
New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2026
Practicality Over Peacocking Across the fair, Fall 2026 collections seemed more toned-down than previous iterations of the tradeshow.
—Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
If big and furry isn’t really your MO, a toned-down shearling jacket or toggle-closure coat might be right for you as a cozy alternative.
—Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2025
The toned-down, minimalist coffee house opened on 21st Street in mid-October.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Ortega’s hair extensions were removed and her eye makeup was toned-down, which gave way to her effortlessly exhausted countenance.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2025
Its colorful striped pattern is toned-down ever so slightly by a pair of fashion flip-flops from Massimo Dutti and Haight’s chestnut-colored swimsuit.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 4 July 2024
For her, that meant toned-down, muted pinks and mauve desert tones.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024
Perhaps another reason is that, with the exception of a few suits, men’s looks at the Grammys largely were underwhelming, and that may have also been the result of wanting to look more toned-down out of respect for victims of the wildfires.
—Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
Unsurprisingly, the first dedicated PV5 camper setup to officially hit the market is far more toned-down than the SEMA 2024 WKNDR all-terrain concept camper.
—New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2026
Practicality Over Peacocking Across the fair, Fall 2026 collections seemed more toned-down than previous iterations of the tradeshow.
—Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
If big and furry isn’t really your MO, a toned-down shearling jacket or toggle-closure coat might be right for you as a cozy alternative.
—Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2025
The toned-down, minimalist coffee house opened on 21st Street in mid-October.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Ortega’s hair extensions were removed and her eye makeup was toned-down, which gave way to her effortlessly exhausted countenance.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2025
Its colorful striped pattern is toned-down ever so slightly by a pair of fashion flip-flops from Massimo Dutti and Haight’s chestnut-colored swimsuit.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 4 July 2024
For her, that meant toned-down, muted pinks and mauve desert tones.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024
Perhaps another reason is that, with the exception of a few suits, men’s looks at the Grammys largely were underwhelming, and that may have also been the result of wanting to look more toned-down out of respect for victims of the wildfires.
—Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toned-down
Adjective
-
After years of muted activity at the midseason, executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas kickstarted a flurry of activity Tuesday — first cementing a three-team trade to acquire Jaden Ivey from Detroit, then offloading Nikola Vučević to the Boston Celtics.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Recreate the look in a similar muted color scheme, like allover cloudy white, or play around with vivid color combinations like Miami teal and head-to-toe pinks.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Highway traffic may have muffled the sound of gunshots.—
Graham Womack
Updated January 15,
Sacbee.com,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Using context-aware algorithms, this technology can, for example, be used to help distinguish between speech and noise, predict and suppress unwanted clamor in real time, and attempt to clean up speech that is muffled or distorted.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
With such a statement on top, Jenner kept the rest of the look relatively subdued.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The recent batch of labor market data (both public and private) indicated that there’s a high likelihood that job growth was tepid, that unemployment remained subdued and that health care remained a primary driver of overall hiring.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Without my father’s booming presence, our house was strangely quiet.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
What was once a gravel and sand mine is being reforested and turned into a sanctuary with quiet beaches and a pristine, spring water lake.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Hours after Pretti was shot dead while restrained and kneeling, Leon Virden and one of his sons joined a protest near the scene.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Beatrix, first as crown princess and later as queen, continued to use the tiara, although with a more restrained use, often combining it with other pieces of the ensemble or reserving it for very specific diplomatic appointments.—
Marta Martínez Tato,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Our infrastructure has failed to meet the demands of rapid expansion, as evidenced by the 12-year neglect of Eastland, which resulted in job losses and decreased tax revenue.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Feb. 2026
-
With regard to housing, incentives can be made available, lot sizes decreased, and alternative approaches are plentiful.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Soft lighting and exquisite, understated design set a calm tone.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The elegant contemporary interiors are not flashy, but rather exude understated luxury with subtle nautical details.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The amount taxpayers can write off is reduced by $200 for each $1,000 in income above the $100,00 and $200,000 income limits.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
In other experiments, Zatorre found that bolstering dopamine enhanced the enjoyment of music, while blocking dopamine reduced it.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toned-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toned-down. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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