Synonyms and related words :
abate, abridge, allay, alleviate, assuage, attemper, bank the fire, blunt, chasten, compress, constrain, control, curtail, cushion, cut, cut back, cut down, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, decrease, deduct, deflate, depreciate, depress, diminish, downgrade, downplay, dull, ease, extenuate, fluff, gentle, keep within bounds, knead, laxate, lay, lenify, lessen, lighten, limber, limber up, listen in, loosen, lower, mash, massage, mellow, milden, mitigate, moderate, modulate, mollify, obtund, palliate, pare, play down, plump, pulp, reduce, reduce the temperature, relax, restrain, retrench, roll back, scale down, shake up, shorten, simplify, slacken, slow down, smash, smother, sober, sober down, soften, soften up, squash, step down, stifle, subdue, supple, suppress, take from, tame, temper, tenderize, tone down, tune in, tune up, underplay, weaken