English / phrasal verb
tone down
C1MEANING IN ENGLISH
To make one's speech, writing, or attitude less aggressive, severe, or intense; to make something less forceful, harsh, or extreme
In context
01
The customer service representative urged the angry customer to tone down his aggressive language.
02
We had to tone down our complaint letter so it would remain polite and legally constructive.
Synonyms
soften,moderate,temper
Antonyms
intensify,escalate,amplify
Collocations
tone down rhetoric,tone down criticism,tone down demands