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
-
Yet in reality, Knape explains, early color filmmaking methods didn’t do well with semi-clear substances like (pseudo)blood, or with muted colors.—
Mark Hay,
Popular Science,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Hudson’s strapless gown featured a muted sky blue tone with silver motifs throughout.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The summer noise of saplings and shrubs and bug nests and grass and flowers had been muffled by the snow.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
8 Oct. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
Economists see an uptick in hiring, though still at a subdued level.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Eventually the euphoria of the moment started giving way to subdued appreciation.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Hours after the deal’s announcement, videos posted on social media by correspondents and Unicef spokesperson James Elder in Gaza showed a relatively quiet night sky, a rare occurrence in an enclave that has faced incessant bombardments for just over two years.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
-
When Venus journeys through Virgo, affection looks like cooking a meal for someone, fixing what’s broken or showing up in quiet, consistent ways.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That would include gun-violence restraining orders and domestic violence protective orders, which are among several kinds of orders that compel a restrained person to surrender firearms.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
-
This would make the policy more fiscally restrained but less universal.—
Christopher Robertson,
The Conversation,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In early January, the restuarant closed for two weeks to regroup after sales decreased by 37%.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Drake claimed the single irreparably damaged his reputation and decreased his brand’s value.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The scenes at these restaurants may appear like a snapshot of Rome during La Dolce Vita rather than modern day Milan, where understated chic and a slice of northern Italian chill is on the menu du jour.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
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Now the Bank of England is throwing around the B-word, albeit in the understated style typical of a central bank.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In return, the US has reduced tariffs on Japanese goods, including cars, to a baseline of 15%.—
Hanako Montgomery,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
-
All spending was re-evaluated, vendor contracts renegotiated, staffing reduced and space consolidated to save maintenance costs.—
Jan Goldsmith,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toned (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toned%20%28down%29. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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