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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of subdued
Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Genimo Outdoor Area Rug For a rug that’s elegant but more subdued, look no further than this option from Genimo.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
While Donahoe’s original narrator was a bit more tender and subdued, Radcliffe is a frenetic force.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
That path made for a decidedly different feel at Galen Center on Sunday, as the team traded the huge selection show celebration from last season for a more intimate, subdued set-up in a small room.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Genimo Outdoor Area Rug For a rug that’s elegant but more subdued, look no further than this option from Genimo.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
The students subdued and killed the shooter, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
While Donahoe’s original narrator was a bit more tender and subdued, Radcliffe is a frenetic force.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
In the meantime, the Bay Area will stay dry on Thursday with a notable warming trend as temperatures rise back into the 80s across the interior, with a more muted warmup (into the 70s) closer to the water.—
Greg Porter,
San Francisco Chronicle,
26 Mar. 2026
-
In markets, trading has been mixed across Asia, while European futures indicate a muted open.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The women carried their burden with grace and defeated Notre Dame.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Adam Sykora broke a scoreless tie early in the third period and Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves and the New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Sunday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Big Ten's run marks the second straight year that the two most cash-flush conferences have dominated the tournament.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But Duke’s marquee stars dominated down the stretch, dealing the Red Storm an 80-75 defeat at Capital One Arena.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That means speech around controversial issues, diet and fitness, mental health topics, sexuality, and much more will be suppressed.—
Elizabeth Nolan Brown,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
This structural scaling suppressed unwanted charge trapping and leakage currents, ensuring the chip remains electronically stable even under intense, high-dose gamma exposure.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Grace had given us this restrained performance.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
27 Mar. 2026
-
High ceilings, expansive windows, and a restrained neutral palette creates an atmosphere that feels instantly and effortlessly calm.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For example, 53% of CISD students mastered grade level in its 2024 STAAR scores, compared with 14% in Uplift Education, which was the lowest among the four charter schools presented on the chart.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
This is more than the one-and-done era, which Calipari mastered; or the advent of the 3-point line, which Pitino owned before everyone else.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Japanese conquered the Philippines, Guam, Wake Island.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
By the 1770s, Linnaeus had pretty much conquered Europe—all, that is, except for the King’s Garden in Paris, where Georges Buffon, the garden’s director, adamantly rejected his system as arbitrary and artificial.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Redick shouted out Bronny James for his efforts against Indiana after the game, lauding his defensive intensity – often being switched onto Pacers All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, and holding his own – along with a late mid-range jumper that quelled concerns of a once-improbable Indiana comeback.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The shooter killed an instructor and wounded two others before the ROTC cadets attacked him and quelled the threat, showing incredible bravery in the face of danger.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
