take down a notch

verb

To cause a person's or group's self-esteem or importance to be decreased.

Similar
bring down a notchbring down a pegdial down a notchknock down a notchknock down a pegmove down a notchmove down a pegpull down a notch
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Meanings

verbtake down a notch (third-person singular simple present takes down a notch, present participle taking down a notch, simple past took down a notch, past participle taken down a notch)

present singular third person takes down a notch · participle present taking down a notch · past took down a notch · participle past taken down a notch

  1. idiomatictransitiveTo cause a person's or group's self-esteem or importance to be decreased.

    Yet it is Gervais who has always been considered […] a quasi-"man of the people" who dares to take the elites down a notch.

    2019 November 13, Adam Whites, “Banal, unfunny and not as dangerous as he thinks: It's time we stopped glorifying Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes”, in Independent, retrieved 08 Feb 2021
    2 more examples

    Confident and near-cocky for the second straight debate […] [McCain] easily deflected Romney and Giuliani attempts to take him down a notch.

    2008 January 10, Mark Halperin, “The Republican Candisates: John McCain”, in Time, retrieved 08 Feb 2021

    Even discount superstore Wal-Mart, once considered a recession-proof business, was taken down a notch after it reported lackluster earnings last month.

    2013 March 26, The Motley Fool, “Will Dollar General Make Investors 'Fistfuls of Dollars'?”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 08 Feb 2021
  2. idiomatictransitiveTo cause the quantity, degree, or intensity of something to be decreased.

    [M]any travel companies are holding prices steady or taking them down a notch.

    2008 October 14, Michelle Higgins, “Europe Returning to Land of In-Reach”, in New York Times, retrieved 08 Feb 2021
    2 more examples

    [A]n increase in clouds (and a slight weakening of the heat dome overhead) may take temperatures down a notch.

    2015 May 21, Jason Samenow, “Record-challenging heat likely in D.C. in May’s final week”, in Washington Post, retrieved 08 Feb 2021

    Veteran hotelier Ian Schrager’s new venture in Manhattan takes luxury down a notch.

    2017 June 25, Eva Wiseman, “Public, New York: the five-star hotel for half the price”, in Guardian, retrieved 08 Feb 2021

    Synonyms: bring down a notch, bring down a peg, dial down a notch, knock down a notch, knock down a peg, move down a notch, move down a peg, pull down a notch

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo cause the quantity, degree, or intensity of something to be decreased.

Similar
bring down a notchbring down a pegdial down a notchknock down a notchknock down a pegmove down a notchmove down a pegpull down a notchpull down a pegtake down a peg
Also see
bring down a notchbring down a pegcut someone's combdial down a notchknock down a notchknock down a pegmove down a notchmove down a pegpull down a notchpull someone down a pegtake down a peg

Translations

Polish poniżać, poniżyć
  • poniżaćTo cause self-esteem to decrease
  • poniżyćTo cause self-esteem to decrease
  • upokarzaćTo cause self-esteem to decrease
  • upokorzyćTo cause self-esteem to decrease
Spanish bajarle los humos
  • bajarle los humosTo cause self-esteem to decrease
Cite this entry
APA

take down a notch. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20down%20a%20notch

MLA

“take down a notch.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20down%20a%20notch. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take down a notch,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20down%20a%20notch.

Source: take down a notch on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.