as in muted
not excessively showy
the wedding was a subdued affair, with only close family and friends attending
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subdued
Claire Zillman, Fortune, 27 May 2026
That was one of the more subdued negative responses, many of which focus around respecting the dead.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
The Air WACs [Women’s Army Corps] stationed here were elated but subdued.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
But the mood in the room at Citi’s Tribeca headquarters was more subdued than expected.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 27 May 2026
That was one of the more subdued negative responses, many of which focus around respecting the dead.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Verb
All are possible explanations as to why the interest in the Bay Area has been subdued.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
The Air WACs [Women’s Army Corps] stationed here were elated but subdued.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
Here are a few takeaways from the sentencing hearing, including Heuermann’s muted statement, the heartfelt and emotional speeches from victims’ families and the next steps on the road to justice.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
Pair it with pale blues and garden greens to double up on muted hues, or embrace the cinnamon hue and layer it with earth tones.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
New York City exploded with joy on Saturday night, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA finals.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
15 June 2026
-
Jalen Brunson finished with 45 points as the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to earn their first title since 1973.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Roki Sasaki dominated early, facing one over the minimum through five innings, before giving up back-to-back homers to Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
The smash has now dominated the 60-space ranking for three consecutive periods.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The development came after the judge ruled in May that evidence found during an initial search of Mangione's backpack must be suppressed, including a magazine, cell phone, passport and wallet.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
The charge, involving the magazine that was suppressed by the court, was formally dismissed Wednesday.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
At first, the fins were tasteful and restrained, adding jet-age glamour to post-war American cars.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Material choices are homey and restrained—soft woods, neutral fabrics, and sculptural artwork chosen during frequent meetings between the designers and clients—creating a quieter, more private atmosphere than the communal areas elsewhere onboard.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Industrial robots have mastered many repetitive tasks, but preparing sashimi remains a surprisingly difficult challenge.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 June 2026
-
In 1971, the company introduced its first cup noodles – instant noodles that came in a disposable container, accompanied by a fork for those who hadn’t mastered chopsticks.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
The Defenders will have the unique advantage of playing for a second consecutive title in front of their home crowd, but the Kings already conquered one hostile road environment under high-stakes circumstances in their playoff win over the Battlehawks at The Dome last week.—
Juan Carlos Blanco,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
America, of course, had not conquered fear.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Authorities lifted the order hours later as crews quelled the flames.—
Sydney Barragan,
Daily News,
18 June 2026
-
His last-minute decision to increase payouts, announced two days before the congress, quelled a larger revolt.—
Chris Jones,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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