1
as in overcomes
to achieve a victory over
subdued her fear of the dark by joining a club for spelunkers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conquers
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 suppresses
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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Recent Examples of subdues
For those who are more into curves than angles, the Bialetti Moon takes all the functional elements of the moka stovetop espresso maker and subdues them with a rounded stainless steel silhouette.
—
Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdues
Verb
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But even here, her sincerity overcomes her weakness for sentimental flourishes, including Amine Bouhafa’s treacly score.—
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The research team at Tokyo Polytechnic University has now demonstrated a simple and affordable VLC system that overcomes several of these obstacles.—
Verb
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The winner of a duel conquers his opponent’s square, gaining more ground – the loser leaves the game.—
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For Nawaf Abdulhadi, joy comes when the choir conquers a difficult phrase in perfect unison.—
Verb
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When enforcement actions sweep through a community, fear suppresses economic activity almost overnight.—
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Plus, the blue light our devices emit suppresses melatonin, the hormone connected to sleep regulation.—
Verb
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However, this approach defeats the primary purpose of insurance, which is to protect against catastrophic costs in the event of an unexpected medical crisis.—
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Haynes defeats Hall in District 2 Shamaiye Haynes maintained a sizable lead over Juanrique Hall in District 2, which covers uptown and west Charlotte.—
Verb
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Ash, dark and warm, dominates the landscape here.—
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While free agency largely dominates the headlines at this point in the MLB offseason, Thursday marks an important deadline for clubs to take care of some other important business ahead of the new season.—
Verb
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While the presumption was always that Messi would renew with the Herons, the news quells any lingering anxiety.—
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Twenty years later, an adult Guinevere is building her ghostwriting career when her estranged artist brother announces an installation titled Mother, which quells disturbing revelations in Guinevere.—
Verb
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Stylist Chrissy Rasmussen masters the layered medium-length look on clients.—
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Bette Davis masters a rare light comedy turn as Sherry's long-suffering secretary, with Jimmy Durante as a visitor from Broadway and Wizard of Oz (1939) good witch Billie Burke as the overwhelmed matriarch of the Stanley clan.—
Verb
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Maximum deceleration subjects New Shepard crews to about five times the normal pull of gravity.—
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The Miami Beach ordinance subjects people — mostly those who are homeless — to arrest for sleeping outside.—
Cite this Entry
“Subdues.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdues. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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