What Does 'Turn Down' Mean at Work? (Two Different Senses)

Turn down has two common meanings at work. It can mean reducing an adjustable level. It can also mean rejecting something offered or requested.

1. To reduce the level or intensity of something (volume, brightness, heat).
2. To reject or decline an offer, request, or proposal.

Sense 1: reducing a level or setting

With an adjustable setting, turn down means to lower its level or intensity.

"Can you turn down the volume on the call? There's an echo."

"The office is freezing — someone turned the thermostat down too far."

"He turned the notification volume down so he could focus during the sprint."

This sense is close to lower or reduce. It does not refer to accepting or refusing something.

Sense 2: rejecting an offer or request

Used with an offer, request, invitation, or proposal, turn down means to decline it.

"She turned down the promotion because it meant relocating."

"We turned down the vendor's proposal — the pricing didn't work for us."

"He was offered the role but turned it down at the last minute."

This sense is close to decline or reject. Someone asks or offers, and the answer is no.

How to tell the two senses apart

Look at the object and context. A level such as volume or heat points to the "reduce" sense. An offer, request, job, invitation, or proposal points to the "reject" sense.

"Turn down the lights before the presentation starts." (reduce — a physical setting)

"Turn down the offer if the terms don't work for you." (reject — a proposal)

With a noun object, both senses allow the same two word orders.

"Turn the volume down" / "Turn down the volume" — both correct.

"Turn the offer down" / "Turn down the offer" — both correct.

With a pronoun object such as it or them, place it in the middle.

"Turn it down." (correct)

"Turn down it." (incorrect)

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Reading "turn down" without checking its object and context.

Confusing without context:

"I turned down the meeting." (This normally means you declined the meeting. A level needs a clear object, such as "the meeting-room volume.")

Mistake 2: Putting a pronoun object at the end.

Wrong:

"Turn down them." / "Turn down it."

Correct:

"Turn them down." / "Turn it down."

Mistake 3: Softening a rejection without acknowledging it as one.

Turn down is neutral but direct. In some messages, thanks or a brief reason can make the refusal sound more polite:

"We've decided to turn down the proposal, mainly due to timeline constraints on our end."

Practice scenarios

Practice using turn down in situations like:

• asking a colleague to adjust volume, lighting, or another setting during a call
• declining a job offer, promotion, or assignment diplomatically
• explaining to a team why a vendor proposal was rejected
• turning down an invitation to an event or meeting without sounding dismissive

Useful practice phrases:

• "Could you turn down the [volume/heat/lights]?"
• "I've decided to turn down the offer."
• "We turned down the proposal because..."
• "Thanks for the invitation, but I'll have to turn it down this time."

Lyra Practice helps advanced non-native English professionals learn the nuance of high-value workplace expressions and practice using them in realistic scenarios, so their English sounds natural, precise, and senior at work. Try Lyra Practice.