tones (down)

verb

present tense third-person singular of tone (down)
as in tapers (off)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tones (down)
  1. decreases
  2. muffles
  3. blunts
  4. numbs
  5. reduces
  6. mutes
  7. diminishes
  8. damps
Verb
  • Cooking decreases some of the sugars in corn, such as glucose, fructose, and maltose.
    — Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Fertility in women decreases gradually but significantly at age 32 and rapidly after 37, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
    — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreases
Verb
  • Although the snow sometimes muffles the thunder, the lightning can be seen, said meteorologist Grant Gilmore, formerly of WFMY-TV in Greensboro, North Carolina.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
Definition of muffles
Verb
  • But Democrats are celebrating the decision, which blunts some of the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this year allowing more coordinated spending between parties and candidates.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • And that success blunts the effectiveness of what the Iranians are trying to do at the Strait of Hormuz.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of blunts
Verb
  • The slime of some species also numbs an attacker’s tongue, protecting them from predators.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026
  • This is the type of consistency that numbs fans from their love of the game.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Definition of numbs
Verb
  • In terms of hardware, the iPhone Duo comes with Apple’s upgraded A20 Pro chip, the company’s in-house C2 cellular modem, a 48-megapixel camera, and a nanotexture finish on its display that reduces glare and reflections.
    — Emma Roth, The Verge, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Whether the strategy reduces graft is a live debate — Singapore is third-lowest of 182 countries on one index, but Hong Kong, with much lower pay, also scores well.
    — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduces
Verb
  • The boom automatically mutes the microphone when lifted and can answer incoming calls simply by being lowered.
    — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Using a vegetable peeler, shave a modest amount of Parmesan onto a plate (a mound of grated Parmesan may look impressive, but all that clumpy cheese mutes the dressing).
    — Sue Li, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 June 2026
Definition of mutes
Verb
  • If those are important to you, that diminishes the credit's value.
    — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Violence diminishes its victims, forcing everyone to play a single thankless role.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • Ash wood damps the micro-vibrations of rough urban pavement in a way aluminum and steel can't match without extra engineering.
    — Omar Kardoudi April 15, New Atlas, 15 Apr. 2026
  • While the standard model damps the road irregularities, the S feels more glued down, even in its softest setting, Sport.
    — Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2026
Definition of damps
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

tones
tones (down)
tones (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Tones (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tones%20%28down%29. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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