as in muted
not excessively showy
the wedding was a subdued affair, with only close family and friends attending
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in defeated
to achieve a victory over
subdued her fear of the dark by joining a club for spelunkers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dominated
to bring under one's control by force of arms
subdued the rebels and sent their leaders to the gallows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in suppressed
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
labored through the night to subdue the river's rising waters by building a wall of sandbags around their property
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subdued
Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
The response from many Utes fans, at least so far, appears relatively subdued.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 11 Dec. 2025
Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
His combative behavior allegedly continued on the shore, where he was subdued by police and taken into custody.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
Indonesia and Hong Kong hold subdued events In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.
—Verb
But the individual who subdued Thomas said Erik never pulled out a gun and none was recovered at the scene, court records state.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
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People often make the mistake of going with a bright white paint color to balance out a room’s cool feel and muted light, but opting for a warm neutral is more effective for creating an inviting space.—
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Color choices mimic those of the terrain, all soft greens, light grays, and muted taupes.—
Verb
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The first turned a fourth-quarter fumble into a 59-yard score when Achane burst through a tired, and seemingly defeated Buffalo defensive front and outsprinted the Bills’ entire secondary to the end zone.—
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In nonplayoff action, Ben Chen rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns as Westford Academy defeated Newton South, 33-13.—
Verb
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Green Bay dominated Chicago for years.—
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The junior guard scored 20 points — including a couple of highlight-reel dunks — as host West Aurora dominated crosstown rival East Aurora during an 80-52 Upstate Eight West victory.—
Verb
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The fresh evidence of how internal dissent was suppressed for the sake of diplomatic relationships exposes a broader crisis of impunity for crimes committed against journalists, and the failure of states to hold other states accountable.—
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This may have resulted in cooling that had until now suppressed the sublimation of water ice to steam.—
Adjective
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Flanagan stars as Betty, a proud but emotionally restrained mother struggling with her daughter’s return, while Crowley plays Áine’s father Seamus.—
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The year 2025 saw high levels of deadly violence around the world, as conflicts grew less restrained, with civilians increasingly victims of attacks by governments and non-state actors alike, according to monitoring data.—
Verb
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Jonathan Bailey has mastered the art of capturing hearts.—
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Most fans of the show have likely been bracing themselves to see how Hemsworth takes on a character Cavill has long mastered.—
Verb
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The museum has never shied away from the more problematic areas of British art history, including art made in countries that Englands conquered or colonized.—
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Silicon Valley grew convinced that other difficult tasks would soon be conquered.—
Verb
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But Trump’s usual tactics haven’t quelled GOP dissent.—
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Talk of a bubble in artificial intelligence has not been quelled despite Nvidia delivering yet another blockbuster quarter in November.—
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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