abate, allay, alleviate, allow for, apologize, assuage, attemper, attenuate, bank the fire, bate, blunt, chasten, color, constrain, control, cramp, cripple, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, debilitate, devitalize, dilute, diminish, downplay, dull, ease, enervate, enfeeble, eviscerate, exhaust, explain, gloss over, gruel, ignore, justify, keep within bounds, lay, lay low, lenify, lessen, lighten, make allowance for, mince, mitigate, moderate, modulate, obtund, palliate, play down, qualify, rationalize, rattle, reduce, reduce the temperature, remit, restrain, sap, shake, shake up, slacken, slow down, slur over, smother, sober, sober down, soft-pedal, soften, soften up, stifle, subdue, sugarcoat, suppress, tame, temper, tone down, tune down, unbrace, undermine, underplay, unman, unnerve, unstrengthen, unstring, varnish, veneer, water down, weaken, white, whiten, whitewash