dial back

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dial back (third-person singular simple present dials back, present participle dialing back or dialling back, simple past and past participle dialed back or dialled back)

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To reduce (one's energy or intensity); to restrain (a feeling or action).

   Synonyms: de-emphasize, downplay

   • 2023 July 9, AP, “‘You should have seen this note’: US meteorologists harassed for reporting on climate crisis”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:

     The Des Moines station asked him to dial back his coverage, facing what he called an understandable pressure to maintain ratings.

• laid back, laid-back, laidback