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
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
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
-
While the unit has benefited from a shift to digital game purchases and growth in the PlayStation Plus subscription service in recent quarters, hardware shipment growth has remained more subdued.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Meanwhile, after its deepest dip last spring, brand loyalty for Tesla has started to inch back up, possibly boosted by aggressive incentives and Musk’s more subdued persona, says S&P’s Libby.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Frontcourt production would rely on the Brazile-Richmond-Pringle trio again, should Ewin have a second quiet performance in a row.—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Meghan Markle forwent her usual quiet luxury style for Old Hollywood glamour in a custom Harbison Studio dress at the annual Fifteen Percent Pledge Fundraising Gala Honoring Tina Knowles on Saturday night in Los Angeles.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
On the street, the Mazda3 hatchback carries itself with a restrained yet purposeful elegance.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Arnold’s Heathcliff is much more fully developed as a character, in part due to the more restrained performances and Arnold’s highly sensory style.—
Cazzie David,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But over that same span, the number of boys playing flag football actually decreased.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Short-term rates have come down as the Federal Reserve decreased the federal funds rate, but the central bank opted to pause rate cuts in January.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the village, mountain enthusiasts in understated fashions walk the main street, which is lined with a few boutiques, fewer brands, and a handful of cafés.—
Maddalena Fossati,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
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Its clean lines and understated elegance perfectly matched the era’s shift toward polished, unfussy dressing that still flattered the feminine form.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Disney reduced its outlay by selling regional sports networks and other assets, but the deal left the company with significant debt just before COVID-19 hit.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
By designing the computing architecture differently, the company reduced that down to 17 in its first-generation R1 vehicles and then to seven in the second generation.—
Robert Ferris,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toned-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toned-down. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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