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)
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
Verb
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
-
The muted colors and suede fabric give it an antique feel, and the berry and pinecone accented greenery at the top looks like it was pulled right off grandma’s tree.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The Vatican offered muted congratulations to Mullally on her appointment.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This is the perfect opportunity for the Business Roundtable to advocate for its members in a forceful, direct challenge to the administration, but it has been perplexingly muffled.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
21 Sep. 2025
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That should tug on our hearts since Willa’s worth caring for, but the emotional heft between dad and daughter gets muffled since there’s just not enough oxygen given to those scenes.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Economists see an uptick in hiring, though still at a subdued level.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
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Eventually the euphoria of the moment started giving way to subdued appreciation.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Britani, who has been all too quiet this whole time, sees an opening to make it about her, and thank god for that.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
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Tom Willander Willander had a quiet showing at prospect camp and training camp, then debuted with two sensational preseason performances against the Seattle Kraken and the Calgary Flames.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In the after-hours, the black faille number styled with a silky lime-green tank top was at once restrained and opulent, just great for a night out.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
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In practice, despite his rhetoric, Israel’s longest serving prime minister’s security policy was widely seen as cautious and relatively restrained, even derided as cowardly by political rivals, who also mocked his inability to make decisive moves.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Production at the company’s mill grew 124 percent, but carbon emissions and electricity consumption decreased 18 percent, respectively.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Sep. 2025
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These numbers have since decreased—only 16% live in poverty and 35% of Gen Z are considered low-income as of 2023—but these numbers are still notably higher than those of millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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There were few celebrities in attendance at Jil Sander — but that’s how the understated label and Bellotti both typically operate.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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Stoic would be an understated way of describing his demeanor.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But a House Fiscal Agency report shows that total artificially reduced by the way billions in federal funding is accounted for, by moving Medicaid money to contingency funds where they are not included in the budget total.—
Paul Egan,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the federal spending on Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — another priority for Democrats — will be reduced by more than $1 trillion over the next decade as a result of provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toned (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toned%20%28down%29. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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