take the sting out of (something)

to make something that is unpleasant a little less unpleasant.

Humour, of course, can take the sting out of almost any unpleasant situation.

• the time is ripe
• the tip of the iceberg
• the toast of
• the toast of somewhere
• the tools of the trade
• the tools of trade
• the tools of your trade
• the top brass
• the top dog
• the top flight
• the top of the heap
• the top of the hour
• the top of the ladder
• make ready to do something
• make rounds
• make scarce
• make seem like a picnic
• make sense
• make sense of
• make sense of something
• make sheep's eyes at
• make sheep's eyes at someone
• make short work of
• make short work of someone
• make short work of something