Downtone

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To lessen the intensity, force, or prominence of something by making it quieter, softer, or less noticeable
2. To diminish the impact or significance of something by toning down its expression or presentation
3. To make something less emphatic or striking by moderating its intensity or reducing its prominence

Etymology: "Downtone" is a plain compound of "down" and "tone," joining the directional word to the musical term for a pitch or sound. Its meaning follows the sense of "down" as lowering, so the word describes making a sound, colour, or manner less intense, lower, or softer. Because it is formed transparently from two English words, its history is recent and straightforward: no older language supplies the word, and its parts have been English for centuries, with "tone" arriving from Greek by way of Latin and French long before this combination was made.

Synonyms: downplay, minimize, understate

Antonyms: emphasize, highlight, accentuate