TONE DOWN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tone down mean? 

• TONE DOWN (verb)
  The verb TONE DOWN has 2 senses:

1. deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping

2. make less strong or intense; soften

  Familiarity information: TONE DOWN used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TONE DOWN (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

damp; dampen; dull; muffle; mute; tone down

Hypernyms (to "tone down" is one way to...):

soften (make (images or sounds) soft or softer)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make less strong or intense; soften

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

moderate; tame; tone down

Context example:

The author finally tamed some of his potentially offensive statements

Hypernyms (to "tone down" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

But even in India and China, where these members of the Brassica genus have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years, scientists have sought to tone down the chemical compounds responsible for their pungent flavor.

(Is a milder mustard on the way?, National Science Foundation)