TONING (DOWN) Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

toning (down)

verb

present participle of tone (down)

as in tapering (off)

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for toning (down)

Verb

Adjustable mattresses were meant to make some of that guesswork easier, but the category has long been associated with airbeds that change firmness by increasing or decreasing pressure inside the mattress.

— Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Standard gas pressure spreads out across the rock formations, homogenizing subterranean forces and actually decreasing the risk of the fault slipping over time.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of decreasing

Verb

The actress wears a toasty-looking fur hat and sits cross-legged on the floor, the Canadian road traffic muffling her voice slightly.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Patmos would divide the open warehouse space into smaller rooms, add pipes and support infrastructure and install sound-muffling materials.

— Ilana Arougheti June 26, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026

Definition of muffling

Verb

The law is aimed at blunting financial scams that often target older adults, which frequently include prompting victims to withdraw large sums of money at once.

— Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2026
Semaglutide can hook into this system, blunting the usual pleasure from eating high-fat and sugary treats.

— Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of blunting

Verb

The answer may be different if the goal is reducing overall homelessness, helping people into the job market, spending as little taxpayer money as possible, improving health outcomes — or just keeping people alive.

— Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Like morphine and fentanyl, cychlorphine locks onto the brain’s mu-opioid receptors, reducing pain and increasing euphoria.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of reducing

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

toning

toning (down)

toning (up)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Toning (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toning%20%28down%29. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of toning (down)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

discreet

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes