tame

adjective

\ ˈtām

tamer; tamest

Definition of tame

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : reduced from a state of native wildness especially so as to be tractable and useful to humans : domesticated tame animals

2 : made docile and submissive : subdued

3 : lacking spirit, zest, interest, or the capacity to excite : insipid a tame campaign

tame

verb

tamed; taming

Definition of tame (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to reduce from a wild to a domestic state

b : to subject to cultivation

c : to bring under control : harness

2 : to deprive of spirit : humble, subdue the once revolutionary … party, long since tamed — The Times Literary Supplement (London)

3 : to tone down : soften tamed the language in the play

intransitive verb

: to become tame

Other Words from tame Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about tame

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Other Words from tame

Adjective

tamely adverb

tameness noun

Verb

tamable or tameable \ ˈtā-mə-bəl

\ adjective

tamer noun

Examples of tame in a Sentence

Adjective

The island's birds are quite tame. They ran a pretty tame campaign. Some people were shocked by the movie, but I found the story pretty tame. Members of the audience were too tame to interrupt the speaker.

Verb

It took a while to tame the horse. the people who tamed the Wild West He struggled to tame his temper. The government needs to do something to tame inflation.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Pre-teething is generally pretty tame and may not even seem out of the ordinary. — Karla Walsh, Woman's Day, "When Do Babies Start Teething?," 26 Feb. 2019 The only felid in Hawai`i are house cats, tame and feral, found in homes and yards and boat harbors and beach parks and deep in the backs of valleys and high on the summit of mountaintops and basically everywhere. — Kim Steutermann Rogers, Smithsonian, "How the Tiniest of Parasites is Taking Down the Mightiest of Monk Seals," 9 July 2018 Mids are crisp and clear, the highs can grab your attention, and while the bass is on the tamer side, there’s still a satisfying low rumble with enough gravitas to bring life to a Metro Boomin production. — Stefan Etienne, The Verge, "Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC review: easy isolation," 20 Dec. 2018 Similar to the first debate, Dean and Lee refrained from aggressively attacking each other in an overall tame event — with Lee even making a point to thank Dean’s positive tone throughout the campaign during the opening remarks. — Kimberlee Kruesi, The Seattle Times, "Tennessee governor candidates square off in second debate," 9 Oct. 2018 Luckily, the Bungee Trampoline at Beaver Creek is a bit more tame but still exciting—and fun for the entire family. — Discover Magazine, "7 Family Friendly Bucket List Adventures in Beaver Creek," 17 Aug. 2018 With the economy growing at a healthy clip, inflation has perked up after a decade of tame prices. — Christopher Rugaber, Fox News, "US producer prices flat in July, restraining inflation," 9 Aug. 2018 The company hit the scene in the ’90s as a rebellious response to the era’s tame pinks and beiges. — Claire Beaudreault, SELF, "As a Woman in Recovery, the Term ‘Beauty Junkie’ Bothers Me," 30 July 2018 How to spot an infected animal An animal with rabies will usually show an initial change in behavior, such as acting more aggressive, tame or appearing weak, according to the ADHS. — Angela Forburger, azcentral, "Rabies cases on the rise in Arizona, health officials warn," 20 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Our American ancestors braved the oceans, tame the wilderness, won a revolution and fought to victory in two world wars. — Fox News, "Jordan, Meadows ask Trump to declassify Carter Page docs," 6 Sep. 2018 Here are the four best options for taming those unruly tomato plants: Stakes Install wood or rebar stakes at least 6 feet-tall at planting time. — Doug Hall, Good Housekeeping, "The 4 Best Ways to Support Your Tomato Plants," 19 July 2018 Have a spray water bottle ready for taming any flames. — Jim Shahin, charlotteobserver, "The best way to grill a burger keeps it off the grate," 6 July 2018 Have a spray water bottle ready for taming any flames. — Jim Shahin, chicagotribune.com, "The best way to grill a burger keeps it off the grate," 26 June 2018 While that might have intimidated some, the challenge of taming those bats excited Palmblad, a Central Michigan recruit. — Pat Disabato, Daily Southtown, "Palmblad too good: Central Michigan recruit Ryan Palmblad up to the challenge as Brother Rice stops Mount Carmel," 2 June 2018 Under Trump, even that modest effort at taming proliferation is now abandoned, to be replaced by a candid recognition that only those in the nuclear club deserve respect. — Jeet Heer, The New Republic, "Is This the Dawn of a New Era of Nuclear Proliferation?," 15 May 2018 Learning about aviation can help tame a fear of flying for some people. — Jessica Toscano, SELF, "How to Finally Overcome Your Fear of Flying," 31 Jan. 2019 This helps tame the problem of rapidly increasing complexity in the electricity sector. — David Roberts, Vox, "Clean energy technologies threaten to overwhelm the grid. Here’s how it can adapt.," 30 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tame.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.