tone it down
Ease the intensity
To tone it down is to make something less intense, extreme, or emphatic.
The phrase often addresses behavior, language, or style that's too loud, aggressive, or flamboyant for the situation: Could you tone it down? People are staring.
It can also apply to colors, flavors, or rhetoric: The editor asked her to tone down the criticism.
- softenMake less firm
- muteWithout voice or sound
- dial backDecrease gradually or partially
- ease upBecome less intense
- ease offBecome less intense
restrain · pump the brakes · subdue · temper · moderate · dampen · quiet · hush · subtle · gentle · soft pedal · calm · relax · take it easy · chill · cool it · play it cool · low-key
- self-controlself-control, restraint, willpower, composure, moderation
- relaxationrelax, naps, break, rest, calm
- Boundary phrasesno, stop, enough, boundaries, off limits
- scoldingscold, scolding, rebuke, berate, reprimand
- quiet gesturesshush, finger to lips, shushing, hush
- shushing gesturesfinger to lips, shush gesture
tone it downgo overboard
Act with excessive enthusiasm
go all out · ham it up · lay it on thick · let loose · go wild
tone it downescalate
Increase in severity
fan the flames · pour fuel on the fire · raise the stakes · provoke · inflame
tone, tones, toned, toning, tonal, tonality, toneless, overtone, undertone