temper down

USAGE SUMMARY

"temper down" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to mean "to make less extreme" or "to reduce or lessen something." For example: "I asked him to temper down his criticism of the project so that the team wouldn't be discouraged."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

In his address, he attempted to temper down fears about the negative effects of the deals on jobs by admitting that past trade deals negotiated by the US had caused more damage than good.

The Guardian - Money

While Twitter nearly doubled its audience in April, its monthly growth rate did temper down from the 131 percent growth in March.

TechCrunch

Asked by VICE, however, MacKay tried to temper down fears that the legislation would be a big change.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

There's a semi-orgy scene with young lovelies that's way tempered down from the original script.

Independent

First, as stated above, diuretics lack of efficacy has to be tempered down with regard to the high risk of bias in available studies.

Annals of Intensive Care

Stoughton and a number of high-profile religious and political figures in the colony stepped into the dispute to bring tempers down and reinforce the colony's position on religious tolerance.

Wikipedia

He insisted, however, that "Mitt Romney has never once asked me to temper anything down".

The New York Times

Outbursts of temper in Downing Street often seem, former staffers say, to reflect his frustration with his physical limitations.

The Guardian

As the afternoon moves towards evening and the temperature begins to drop, so the tempers cool down too.

BBC

This will also let your tempers cool down if things were heating right when you broke up.

WikiHow

The incident escalated to a brawl between the Blue Jays and Rangers, and it took umpires 10 minutes to settle tempers down.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "temper down" when you want to convey the idea of reducing the intensity of something, whether it's emotions, reactions, or even the effects of a policy. It suggests a deliberate effort to make something less extreme.

Common error

While "temper down" is a valid phrase, avoid using it too frequently in casual conversations. Simpler alternatives like "calm down" or "tone it down" might be more appropriate in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "temper down" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of reducing intensity or severity. It's often used to describe making something less extreme or forceful, as shown in Ludwig examples concerning fears, growth rates and legislation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "temper down" is a phrasal verb used to describe the process of reducing the intensity or severity of something. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and although its usage is rare, you can use it to mean "to make less extreme" or "to reduce or lessen something."

It is most commonly found in news and media contexts and carries a neutral tone. Related phrases include "tone down", "calm down", and "soften". When writing, use "temper down" when aiming to convey the reduction of intensity in a deliberate manner, and consider the audience to avoid overuse in more casual settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tone down

Emphasizes reducing the intensity of expression or style.

calm down

Focuses on reducing emotional agitation or excitement.

soften

Suggests making something less harsh or severe.

moderate

Indicates keeping something within reasonable limits.

alleviate

Focuses on lessening pain, difficulty or severity.

mitigate

Highlights reducing the harmful effects of something.

reduce

A general term for making something smaller or less.

lessen

Similar to reduce, but often implies a gradual decrease.

curb

Suggests restraining or controlling something.

diminish

Implies a gradual decrease in size, importance or intensity.

FAQs

How can I use "temper down" in a sentence?

You can use "temper down" to describe reducing the intensity of something. For example, "The president attempted to "temper down" fears about the economic impact of the new policy".

What are some alternatives to "temper down"?

Alternatives to "temper down" include "tone down", "calm down", "soften", or "moderate" depending on the specific context.

Is "temper down" formal or informal?

"Temper down" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but simpler alternatives may be preferred in very casual situations. It often appears in news and media, suggesting a neutral to slightly formal register.

When is it appropriate to use "temper down" instead of "calm down"?

While "calm down" typically refers to reducing emotional agitation, "temper down" is broader and can apply to reducing the intensity of something beyond emotions, such as criticism or policies. Consider using "temper down" when the action refers to things and not people.