1 B2 neutral
To lower the pitch of a musical instrument by loosening its strings or adjusting its tuning mechanism.
"The guitarist tuned down all the strings by a semitone for the last song."
separable
tune down
B2 neutral separable transitive
To lower the pitch of a musical instrument by adjusting its tuning.
In plain English
To adjust a musical instrument so that it plays lower notes — the opposite of tuning up.
What does "tune down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
(figurative, rare) To reduce the intensity or expressiveness of something.
"The director asked the actors to tune down the drama in that scene."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To adjust the pitch of an instrument downward.
Actually means
To adjust a musical instrument so that it plays lower notes — the opposite of tuning up.
Usage tip
Used primarily in musical contexts. Guitarists 'tune down' when they tune to alternate low tunings (e.g. drop D, open C). Less common than 'tune up'. Rarely used figuratively.
Words that pair with "tune down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
guitar strings instrument half-step semitone bass
How to conjugate "tune down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
tune down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
tunes down
he/she/it
Past simple
tuned down
yesterday
Past participle
tuned down
have + pp
-ing form
tuning down
continuous
Hear "tune down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "tune down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.