subdue

sub·due

verb \səb-ˈdü, -ˈdyü\

sub·duedsub·du·ing

Definition of SUBDUE

transitive verb

1

: to conquer and bring into subjection : vanquish

2

: to bring under control especially by an exertion of the will : curb <subdued my foolish fears>

3

: to bring (land) under cultivation

4

: to reduce the intensity or degree of : tone down

— sub·du·er noun

Examples of SUBDUE

1. The troops were finally able to subdue the rebel forces after many days of fighting.
2. He was injured while trying to subdue a violent drunk.
3. She struggled to subdue her fears.

Origin of SUBDUE

Middle English sodewen, subduen, from Anglo-French soduire, subdure to lead astray, overcome, arrest (influenced in form and meaning by Latin subdere to subject), from Latin subducere to withdraw, remove stealthily

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SUBDUE

Synonyms: best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down [British], get, get around, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, beat, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst

Antonyms: lose (to)

Related Words: sweep; edge (out), nose out, pip [British]; annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke [slang], snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax [slang], whip; cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed; knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish; ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, excel, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend

Near Antonyms: fall, give up, go down, go under; collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at conquer

Rhymes with SUBDUE

accrue, achoo, adieu, ado, Agnew, aircrew, airscrew, anew, askew, babu, Baku, bamboo, battu, battue, bayou, bedew, beshrew, bestrew, bijou, boo-boo, boubou, brand-new, breakthrough, burgoo, cachou, can-do, canoe, caoutchouc, Carew, Cebu, Chonju, construe, Corfu, corkscrew, coypu, CQ, cuckoo, curfew, debut, Depew, doo-doo, ecu, endue, ensue, eschew, floor-through, fondue, fordo, Gansu, Gentoo, Gifu, goo-goo, GQ, ground crew, gumshoe, guru, hairdo, hereto, Hindu, home brew, Honshu, horseshoe, how-to, HQ, Hutu, igloo, imbrue, imbue, IQ, jackscrew, K2, Kansu, karoo, Karoo, kazoo, Khufu, kung fu, Kwangju, leadscrew, lean-to, long view, make-do, Matthew, me-too, mildew, milieu, miscue, misdo, muumuu, non-U, old-shoe, one-two, on view, outdo, perdu, Peru, poilu, prau, preview, pursue, purview, ragout, redo, renew, Renfrew, review, revue, rough-hew, run-through, sandshoe, Sardou, see-through, set-to, setscrew, shampoo, sinew, skiddoo, snafu, snowshoe, soft-shoe, span-new, surtout, taboo, Taegu, tattoo, thank-you, thereto, thumbscrew, to-do, too-too, tree shrew, undo, undue, unglue, unscrew, untrue, vatu, vendue, venue, virtu, voodoo, wahoo, walk-through, wherethrough, whereto, who's who, worldview, yahoo, yoo-hoo