tame

1 of 2

adjective

ˈtām 

tamer; tamest

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

tamely adverb

tameness noun

tame

2 of 2

verb

tamed; taming

transitive verb

1

a

: 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

tamable adjective

or tameable

ˈtā-mə-bəl 

tamer noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• domestic
• domesticated
• tamed

Verb

• bridle
• check
• constrain
• contain
• control
• curb
• govern
• hold
• inhibit
• keep
• measure
• pull in
• regulate
• rein (in)
• restrain
• rule

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

Inflation was also fairly tame in the month leading up to the new tariffs. —Scott Horsley, NPR, 7 May 2025

While the concept of a unisex scent is relatively tame in 2025, the fragrance still holds up. —Ariel Wodarcyk, Glamour, 2 May 2025

Verb

But he is seen in quieter moments trying to tame his impulses and become a better person. —Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2025

Because nothing tames static and strays like a hearty dose of moisture. —Amanda Mitchell, Allure, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English tam; akin to Old High German zam tame, Latin domare to tame, Greek damnanai

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for tame

• aim
• blame
• brame
• came
• claim
• dame
• fame
• flame
• frame
• game
• haim
• lame

Kids Definition

tame

1 of 2 adjective

ˈtām 

tamer; tamest

1

: changed from the wild state so as to become useful and obedient to human beings : domesticated

a tame elephant

2

: made gentle and obedient

3

: lacking spirit or interest : dull

tamely adverb

tameness noun

tame

2 of 2 verb

tamed; taming

1

a

: to make or become tame

tame a lion

b

: to subject to cultivation

wilderness tamed by farmers

2

: to bring under control : subdue

tame your temper

tamer noun