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
Will Ripley, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
Unsurprisingly, the first dedicated PV5 camper setup to officially hit the market is far more toned-down than the SEMA 2024 WKNDR all-terrain concept camper.
—New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2026
Practicality Over Peacocking Across the fair, Fall 2026 collections seemed more toned-down than previous iterations of the tradeshow.
—Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
If big and furry isn’t really your MO, a toned-down shearling jacket or toggle-closure coat might be right for you as a cozy alternative.
—Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2025
The toned-down, minimalist coffee house opened on 21st Street in mid-October.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
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
Adjective
The familiar threat landed as the US and South Korea announced that their own, possibly toned-down, military drills will return to the calendar next month.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
Unsurprisingly, the first dedicated PV5 camper setup to officially hit the market is far more toned-down than the SEMA 2024 WKNDR all-terrain concept camper.
—New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2026
Practicality Over Peacocking Across the fair, Fall 2026 collections seemed more toned-down than previous iterations of the tradeshow.
—Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
If big and furry isn’t really your MO, a toned-down shearling jacket or toggle-closure coat might be right for you as a cozy alternative.
—Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2025
The toned-down, minimalist coffee house opened on 21st Street in mid-October.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toned-down
Adjective
-
In the meantime, the Bay Area will stay dry on Thursday with a notable warming trend as temperatures rise back into the 80s across the interior, with a more muted warmup (into the 70s) closer to the water.—
Greg Porter,
San Francisco Chronicle,
26 Mar. 2026
-
In markets, trading has been mixed across Asia, while European futures indicate a muted open.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The sound of a backstage vocal warmup was muffled by thick stage curtains.—
Melanie Asmar,
Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Bunny, wearing a knitted Balaclava and carrying a clip board, called out commands to the chief electrician in a voice muffled with pain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
When cruising along and suddenly pressing the accelerator to pass slower traffic, the response felt more subdued than expected from a 400-plus-horsepower luxury vehicle.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
-
That path made for a decidedly different feel at Galen Center on Sunday, as the team traded the huge selection show celebration from last season for a more intimate, subdued set-up in a small room.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In the kitchen of Oakland restaurant Town Fare, on a quiet afternoon, chef and owner Michele McQueen prepared for an upcoming reservation for one.—
Max Darrow,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
West Texas Intermediate May futures also saw a noticeable pickup in trading activity at roughly the same time, with a distinct volume spike interrupting otherwise quiet conditions.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Medicare chief frames TrumpRx as a limited tool Chris Klomp, a senior HHS official, offered a notably restrained view of TrumpRx while speaking at the STAT Breakthrough Summit East yesterday.—
Meghana Keshavan,
STAT,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The killing of veteran Iranian politician Ali Larijani — seen by some as a potential, palatable negotiator — may have strengthened hardliners in Tehran (who were never weak or restrained to begin with).—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tehran praised its attack as a show of strength, even as Israel's military asserts that Iranian missile launches have decreased since the war began.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Voting by mail has decreased since its peak during the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The result is effortlessly chic, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the Lobby Bar—an understated name for such a striking space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The beige delivers an understated classiness and suggests this host has thought of every last detail—down to the durability of their coaster materials.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ortiz's public defender attempted to have the woman's bail reduced, per Fox 11.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The crucial knowledge required to do this practice well cannot be reduced to rules that can be conveyed in a classroom.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toned-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toned-down. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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