To reduce the intensity, extent, or level of something; to moderate.
To make something less strong, less extreme, or less intense — like turning a dial to a lower setting.
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
To reduce the intensity, level, or extent of something.
"The manager asked the team to dial back their expectations before the quarterly review."
We need to dial back the partisanship and find common ground.
— Barack Obama, interview with CBS News (2013)
To turn a dial backwards to reduce a setting.
To make something less strong, less extreme, or less intense — like turning a dial to a lower setting.
Common in American English. Used in political, business, and personal contexts. The metaphor comes from physically turning a dial backwards. Often used of rhetoric, emotions, or commitments.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "dial back" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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