Phrasal verb
Turn down
What does 'turn down' mean?
'Turn down' means declining an offer, invitation, application, request, or person, or reducing a device's volume, heat, light, or power. It can lower a setting without switching equipment off. For example, 'Could you turn the speaker down before dinner?' With pronouns, say 'turn it down', not 'turn down it'.
Key points
- 'Turn down' can mean refuse or reduce intensity.
- It commonly takes offers, applications, people, or requests.
- It can lower sound, heat, light, or power.
- Full noun objects can move around 'down'.
Can you use "Turn down" yourself?
This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.
Stage 1 of 5
Understand
What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.
The full explanation
Turn down means to decline an offer, invitation, application, or request. It also means to lower the volume, temperature, light, or power emitted by a device.
She had to turn down the job offer because the daily commute was too demanding.
Why it works: The speaker declined an employment opportunity.
2 more examples
-
Could you turn down the speaker while I answer this phone call?
The speaker requests lower audio volume rather than cutting the power.
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The scholarship committee turned him down because his application missed the deadline.
The committee rejected the applicant, placing the pronoun object between the verb and particle.
Read the full guide
Deciding Between Refusal and Equipment Control
When you encounter the phrasal verb turn down, the direct object immediately reveals its function. If the object is an opportunity, request, or proposal, the verb expresses refusal. If the object represents a dial, machine, heat source, or audio signal, the verb signifies reducing intensity. Identifying whether the noun names an abstract proposal or a physical output prevents basic comprehension mistakes during fast conversations.
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She turned down the promotion because she wanted to remain near her family.
Why it works: The object promotion indicates that the speaker declined an employment opportunity.
-
Could you turn down the air conditioner before the room gets too cold?
Why it works: The object air conditioner indicates lowering cooling output rather than declining a request.
Your turn
Which noun indicates that turn down means declining an offer rather than lowering equipment output?
Answer: the fellowship
Show the answer
Answer: the fellowship
A fellowship is an academic grant or opportunity that one accepts or declines, whereas thermostats and projectors are equipment.
Declining Offers, Invitations, and Requests
Using turn down for offers and requests conveys a clear refusal without sounding aggressive. In social and professional settings, people often add a brief reason to maintain goodwill. You can decline invitations to social events, proposals for new projects, or suggestions from colleagues. Notice that turn down functions transitively here, so it always requires a direct object naming the rejected item.
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David turned down our dinner invitation because his shift ended late.
Why it works: David politely refused the social invitation.
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The architect turned down the building contract due to time limits.
Why it works: The architect declined the proposed project.
This also comes up in Cut down and Hold up.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that correctly uses turn down to refuse a formal proposal.
Answer: The company turned down the merger agreement after evaluating debt risks.
Show the answer
Answer: The company turned down the merger agreement after evaluating debt risks.
Turn down takes a direct object without extra prepositions like from, and turn off does not express declining a contract.
Turning Down an Applicant or Candidate
Speakers also apply turn down directly to applicants or people seeking approval. When a university admissions office, mortgage bank, or hiring committee decides not to accept a person, they turn that candidate down. Because this usage directly names an individual, English speakers frequently soften the statement with neutral explanations about program capacity or strict qualification standards.
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The mortgage company turned them down because their credit file was incomplete.
Why it works: The lender rejected the borrowers' mortgage application.
-
Our manager interviewed three designers but turned two down.
Why it works: The manager declined two of the job applicants.
Your turn
What does the sentence 'The medical board turned him down' mean?
Answer: The medical board rejected his credential application.
Show the answer
Answer: The medical board rejected his credential application.
Turning a person down means declining their application, request, or proposal.
Lowering Heat, Sound, and Light Levels
When operating household appliances, car systems, or audio gear, turn down instructs someone to decrease the level of sound, heat, brightness, or ventilation. The opposite adjustment is turn up. Unlike stopping a machine, adjusting a dial maintains continuous operation at a reduced intensity. Learners should pair turn down with dials, burners, speakers, monitors, and radiators to specify moderate operation.
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Turn down the stove burner so the soup simmers gently without boiling over.
Why it works: The speaker wants less heat output from the stove.
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He turned down the car heater once the cabin reached a comfortable temperature.
Why it works: The driver lowered the climate control intensity.
Your turn
Which request asks to lower sound output rather than power off the device?
Answer: Turn down the radio so we can speak without shouting.
Show the answer
Answer: Turn down the radio so we can speak without shouting.
Turn down decreases sound volume while the radio continues playing.
Positioning Pronoun Objects Between Verb and Particle
Grammatical placement depends on whether the object is a full noun phrase or a pronoun. Full noun phrases can sit after the particle or between the verb and particle: you may say turn down the music or turn the music down. However, pronoun objects such as it, them, her, and him must always stand between turn and down. Placing a pronoun after down violates English word order rules.
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The television is distracting the children, so please turn it down.
Why it works: The pronoun it must precede the particle down.
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They made a good offer, but she turned it down.
Why it works: Pronoun it stands between turned and down.
Your turn
Which sentence shows the correct pronoun placement for this phrasal verb?
Answer: The music was loud, so Marcus turned it down.
Show the answer
Answer: The music was loud, so Marcus turned it down.
Pronoun objects with separable phrasal verbs must be placed between the verb and the particle.
Distinguishing Lowering from Shutting Off
A frequent learner error is substituting turn off when the intended goal is merely reducing intensity. If you turn off a lamp, the room goes completely dark; if you turn down a lamp, the dimmer switch provides softer illumination. Similarly, turning off music halts playback entirely, whereas turning down music allows conversation while background sound continues. Choosing the accurate verb prevents misunderstandings in shared living spaces.
-
I did not turn off the air conditioner; I just turned it down two degrees.
Why it works: The system continues cooling at a reduced rate.
-
Please turn down the bedside lamp so the light does not hurt my eyes.
Why it works: The speaker requests dimmed light, not complete darkness.
Your turn
If a coworker asks you to 'turn down the monitor brightness,' what should you do?
Answer: Use the display controls to reduce the brightness setting.
Show the answer
Answer: Use the display controls to reduce the brightness setting.
Turning down brightness means reducing the light level while keeping the monitor on.
Hearing Connected Speech and Stress Patterns
In natural spoken English, the nasal consonant at the end of down links smoothly into subsequent vowel-initial words, such as an offer or an applicant. While the transition from turn to down involves two adjacent alveolar consonants, speakers articulate them without inserting an extra vowel or pause. Furthermore, the particle down receives stronger acoustic stress than the base verb turn. Recognizing that down carries sentence emphasis helps listeners distinguish this verb from turn off or turn around in rapid exchanges.
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Why did you turn DOWN an invitation to lunch?
Why it works: The particle down receives primary emphasis and links smoothly into an.
-
Could you turn it DOWN a little?
Why it works: The pronoun it remains unstressed between turn and the stressed particle down.
Your turn
In the spoken sentence 'Please turn down an invitation,' where does the primary stress fall in the phrasal verb?
Answer: The primary stress falls on the particle down.
Show the answer
Answer: The primary stress falls on the particle down.
In phrasal verbs like turn down, the particle typically carries greater acoustic stress than the verb base.
Writing Courteous Refusals in Daily Messages
When declining requests in workplace emails, turn down provides a direct yet professional tone. Writers typically soften the impact by expressing appreciation first, stating the refusal with turn down, and offering an alternate timeline or referral. This three-step structure maintains productive professional relationships while establishing clear boundaries regarding time, budget, and project scope.
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We appreciate your proposal, but we must turn down the contract at this time.
Why it works: The writer softens the business refusal by opening with genuine appreciation.
-
Although I must turn down this speaking invitation, please consider me for your autumn panel.
Why it works: The writer declines the current request while leaving the door open for future collaboration.
Your turn
Which draft sentence best maintains courteous professional tone when declining a project?
Answer: Thank you for the proposal, but our team must turn down this project due to scheduling conflicts.
Show the answer
Answer: Thank you for the proposal, but our team must turn down this project due to scheduling conflicts.
This response pairs courteous appreciation with a clear, professional reason for refusing the project.
Other meanings of "turn down"
This lesson practises one meaning. You may also hear these.
To reduce the volume, heat, light, or power of equipment.
Could you turn down the heater?
Common mistakes with "turn down"
What learners often say, what to say instead, and why.
-
Not this:
The panel turned down from my proposal.Say: The panel turned down my proposal.
'Turn down' takes a direct object, without 'from'.
-
Not this:
Please turn down it before the meeting.Say: Please turn it down before the meeting.
Pronoun objects must come between 'turn' and 'down'.
-
Not this:
They turned down him after the interview.Say: They turned him down after the interview.
A pronoun object must come between 'turn' and 'down'.
-
Not this:
Please turn down the lamp off.Say: Please turn down the lamp.
Do not add 'off' when you mean reducing the lamp's light.
Use it naturally
How people really use “turn down”
Neutral Fine almost anywhere, at work or with friends.
Words it often goes with
- turn down an offerYou can turn down an offer politely without giving a long explanation.
- turn down an invitationI had to turn down an invitation because I was away that weekend.
- turn down the volumePlease turn down the volume so I can hear you.
- turn down the heatWe should turn down the heat before the soup starts to burn.
What people also say
- “Could you turn it down?” instead of “Could you turn down it?”Put a pronoun like "it" between "turn" and "down."
Questions about "Turn down"
What is the difference between turning down equipment and turning it off?
Turning equipment down reduces its output level, such as sound volume, heat, or brightness, while keeping the device running. Turning equipment off cuts power completely and stops its operation.
Please turn down the radio so we can hear the doorbell.
Please turn off the radio before you leave the house.
Where should pronouns like 'it', 'them', or 'him' go when using turn down?
Turn down is a separable phrasal verb. When the object is a pronoun such as it, them, or her, you must place the pronoun between turn and down. Saying 'turn down it' or 'turn down him' is ungrammatical.
The volume is hurting my ears, so please turn it down.
He asked for a raise, but the board turned him down.
Is turn down more casual than refuse or reject?
Turn down is neutral and common in both spoken English and professional writing. Verbs like reject or refuse sound more formal or severe. Saying you turned down an offer sounds polite and objective without being harsh.
I politely turned down their invitation to dinner.
The company rejected the contract proposal after legal review.
Can turn down refer directly to a person instead of an offer?
Yes. When you turn someone down, you decline their personal request, job application, or social invitation. The surrounding context reveals whether the refusal involves employment, funding, or dating.
The committee interviewed four candidates and turned three of them down.
Before you go
Remember this
Inspect the noun or pronoun object to understand the action. Use turn down for polite refusals and device adjustments, keeping pronoun objects directly between turn and down.
Stage 2 of 5
Listen
Hear it in real sentences, from short to long, and write what you hear.
0 of 4 done
Listening 1 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
- Could you turn down the speaker while I answer this phone call?
- The scholarship committee turned him down because his application missed the deadline.
Read the transcript
Please turn down our small radio.
Turn down means to reduce the volume of the radio.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- In "down our," listen for "dow-nour." The two words flow together without a pause.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- In "down our," listen for "dow-nour." The two words flow together without a pause.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- In "down our," listen for "dow-nour." The two words flow together without a pause.
Listening 2 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
- Could you turn down the speaker while I answer this phone call?
- The scholarship committee turned him down because his application missed the deadline.
Read the transcript
Our team will turn down another applicant.
Turn down means to reject an applicant or candidate.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- In "down another," listen for "dow-nanother." The final n connects to the first vowel in "another."
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- In "down another," listen for "dow-nanother." The final n connects to the first vowel in "another."
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- In "down another," listen for "dow-nanother." The final n connects to the first vowel in "another."
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 3 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
0:00
- Could you turn down the speaker while I answer this phone call?
- The scholarship committee turned him down because his application missed the deadline.
Read the transcript
The room became warm around noon, so Marcus asked someone to turn down an electric heater.
Turn down indicates reducing the heat output of the heater rather than turning it off.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
This clip is longer. Follow the instruction above the answer field.
Listening 4 of 4
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
0:00
- Could you turn down the speaker while I answer this phone call?
- The scholarship committee turned him down because his application missed the deadline.
Read the transcript
Our committee sent six invitations for the keynote address. Two speakers accepted right away, but Professor Gomez chose to turn down an invitation because of travel delays. Later this morning, we will call an alternate speaker and turn down our second choice if the budget remains tight.
Both occurrences demonstrate declining proposals or candidate options.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
Listen for
At natural speed these words change shape. Tap one to hear it again.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
- The last sound of the first word runs straight into the next word.
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Save my progressStage 3 of 5
Speak
Say it with the speaker, then use it in your own answer.
Shadow
Say it along with the speaker
Please turn down our small radio.
Play the line slowly, then speak at the same time as the speaker. Copy the rhythm, not just the words.
Your turn
Say it your way
Speak for 30 to 60 seconds from memory. Imagine you are buying a bike. The salesperson offers you an expensive service plan. Explain why you decide to turn down the offer and how you plan to care for the bike.
Use: turn down
Think for ten seconds, then answer out loud for as long as the task above asks, without looking at the lesson. Nothing is sent unless you ask for feedback.
0:00
Hear how someone else might say it
I'm buying a bike to ride to school, and the salesperson offers me a service plan. It costs almost as much as the bike, so I decide to turn down the offer. I say, "Thanks for explaining it, but I'll just take the bike today." I want to save some money for a helmet and a good lock. My brother knows how to fix bikes, so he can show me how to check the tires. If something serious goes wrong, I'll take it to a repair shop.
Try once more and answer this: What does the service plan include?
Stage 4 of 5
Write
Write about your own day or week using it, then write a message.
Write
Put it in your own words
- I used “turn down”.
- It is about my life, not the lesson’s example.
- I read it once aloud to check it sounds right.
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Check your own writing
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