turn down

/tərn daʊn/

/tən daʊn/

Other forms: turned down; turning down; turns down

To turn down is to reduce something, like the way you turn down your music after your mom asks half a dozen times, or to refuse something, like the way you turn down an invitation to a party you don't want to attend.

The phrase Turn down can be used in a variety of ways. You can turn down your own enthusiasm or the air conditioning blasting in your car — anything you want to decrease. And when someone makes an offer you have to refuse, you can also turn that down: "I'm sorry to turn down this opportunity to dress as an elf in the Christmas parade, but my pointy shoes are at the cleaners."

Definitions of turn down

1. verb

   take a downward direction
   “The economy finally turned down after a long boom”

   type of:

   decline, worsen

   grow worse
2. verb

   make lower or quieter
   “turn down the volume of a radio”

   synonyms: lour, lower

   type of:

   decrease, lessen, minify

   make smaller
3. verb

   refuse to accept
   synonyms: decline, pass up, refuse, reject

   disdain, freeze off, pooh-pooh, reject, scorn, spurn

   reject with contempt

   types:

   dishonor, dishonour

   refuse to accept

   bounce

   refuse to accept and send back
4. verb

   refuse entrance or membership
   synonyms: refuse, reject, turn away

   disdain, freeze off, pooh-pooh, reject, scorn, spurn

   reject with contempt
5. verb

   reject with contempt
   synonyms: disdain, freeze off, pooh-pooh, reject, scorn, spurn

   decline, pass up, refuse, reject

   refuse to accept

   refuse, reject, turn away

   refuse entrance or membership

   types:

   rebuff, repel, snub

   reject outright and bluntly

   type of:

   balk, decline, refuse

   show unwillingness towards