as in muted
not excessively showy
a restrained but elegant black purse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in controlled
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
the victim's family members were unable to restrain their emotions upon hearing the verdict
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrested
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the suspect was restrained and taken to an undisclosed location
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of restrained
Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 5 May 2026
Wall Street analysts came away from Greg Abel's first annual meeting at Berkshire Hathaway broadly impressed with his command of the business, but underwhelmed by the company's restrained pace of share buybacks.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 4 May 2026
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
One grabbed an arm and held it behind his back, another raised the man’s other arm above his head, while a third restrained his ankles, according to the video.
—Darrell Smith
may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Adjective
Until Batiste took the stage, Cartier’s party had been an elegant yet restrained affair.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 5 May 2026
Wall Street analysts came away from Greg Abel's first annual meeting at Berkshire Hathaway broadly impressed with his command of the business, but underwhelmed by the company's restrained pace of share buybacks.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 4 May 2026
Verb
And even as China has been restrained in its criticisms of the US during this conflict, it’s long maintained that the war is Washington’s mess to fix.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
One grabbed an arm and held it behind his back, another raised the man’s other arm above his head, while a third restrained his ankles, according to the video.
—Darrell Smith
may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrained
Adjective
-
Almost all of her daytime choices are neutral tones — soft grays or muted colors, pinstriped wool blazers and soft charcoals.—
Gretta Monahan,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Rooms were designed by Lowell and decorator Tiffany Vassilakis, featuring muted interiors, fireplaces and claw-foot tubs — closer in feel to a private country home than a traditional hotel.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Verb
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What could’ve turned into a game of foul trouble and interruptions instead turned into a game Brunson controlled anyway.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
Traditionally, the tech sector has been controlled by a few very large firms that generate big margins.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
No remains were uncovered, but a month later, both Flores men were arrested and charged in connection with Smart’s murder.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
In 2024 a total of 219 unhoused people were arrested on this charge.—
Michael Perkins,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
The mood music at City, meanwhile, is noticeably more subdued, although Jeremy Doku’s last-gasp curling equaliser on Merseyside did keep their hopes alive.—
Ayo Akinwolere,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
-
In the 2010s, Streisand’s style often went the more subdued route, but stayed elegant as ever.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
At the Yamada house, TV access was regulated and studying was emphasized, but free play was routine.—
Andre Mouchard,
Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Airbnb, which is best known for its short-term home rentals, has begun offering rooms at boutique hotels in markets where short-term rentals are tightly regulated.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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He was also ordered to pay nearly $111 million in restitution and forfeit roughly $17 million that the government seized from bank accounts.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
So far this year, 12 guns have been seized by Annapolis Police, according to department data.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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As a national icon, the Natural Bridge served as a quiet, Emersonian rebuke to Europe’s militaristic triumphal arches, reinforcing the naturalness of American democracy.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
This peaceful hotel feels like a library—warm, bookish, and sanctuary-like—though most guests congregate in quiet nooks between the hibiscus flowers, grapefruit trees, and pines that predate the property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to possessing the destructive device, which contained flammable ethanol and a wick designed to ignite when lighted.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
When Federal Reserve officials convened on March 17-18, just a few weeks after the war broke out, Chair Jerome Powell said any effects on inflation would likely be temporary and could be contained within the energy industry, keeping the door open for at least one rate cut this year.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrained. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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