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
Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
When a court issues a domestic violence protective order, federal law prohibits the restrained person from possessing a gun.
—Sativa Banks, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2026
Kuhlman, 36, also represented Sedgwick County in the civil rights lawsuit brought by the brother of 17-year-old Cedric Lofton, who was fatally restrained in a Wichita juvenile detention facility in 2021.
—Matthew Kelly
june 9, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Adjective
Elinor Dashwood is the epitome of Sense—self-contained, controlled, restrained.
—Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
When a court issues a domestic violence protective order, federal law prohibits the restrained person from possessing a gun.
—Sativa Banks, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
Verb
Walsh resisted being restrained, pulling his wrists apart and struggling, until he was eventually handcuffed, the affidavit said.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2026
Kuhlman, 36, also represented Sedgwick County in the civil rights lawsuit brought by the brother of 17-year-old Cedric Lofton, who was fatally restrained in a Wichita juvenile detention facility in 2021.
—Matthew Kelly
june 9, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrained
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
-
Key moment The Dream controlled the game early.—
Lauren Williams,
AJC.com,
23 June 2026
-
Unlike other watering systems, the IrriSense 2 houses its controller, sprinkler, electric valve, and nutrient feeder in a single device, controlled via an app on your phone.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
22 June 2026
Verb
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Police Scotland said that a 36-year-old man was arrested late Friday after officers received multiple reports of attacks in the west and north of Edinburgh.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
Bridges pointed to an encounter last year in which an officer threatened Breshari Faulkner with a Taser, pulled her from her car onto the ground and arrested her during a confrontation over a handicapped parking space in the same Walmart lot where Kohen was shot.—
TRAVIS LOLLER,
Arkansas Online,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Color isn't absent from naturalistic gardens, but the palette tends to be tighter and more subdued.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 June 2026
-
All in all, Louis's hijinks were much more subdued than in previous years, however.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Verb
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The companies are now the leading drivers of the burgeoning AI industry, and their competing views about how the technology should be regulated are playing out in a wide-ranging political ad spending war that has targeted congressional races in big cities and rural areas alike.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
Yet this pollution isn’t regulated, and manufacturers are moving to dramatically increase the amount of plastics produced in the United States.—
Michael Hawthorne,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Aemond was named Prince Regent in the aftermath, and seized control of the Iron Throne while Aegon recovered.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
But in March, environmental authorities seized 550 head of cattle and issued 21 citations, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Prosecutors also alleged King fathered a child through an extra-marital affair and threatened the child’s mother to keep quiet.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 June 2026
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But he is viewed by Labour supporters as a more effective, optimistic and plain-speaking communicator than Starmer, who's quiet, lawyerly manner has consistently failed to connect with the public's national mood.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
Data centers are contained in buildings stretching as far as a football field, housing thousands of continually running machines.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 June 2026
-
Crews quickly established hose lines on the roof and contained the blaze to a portion of the solar panels atop the structure, achieving knockdown in 48 minutes with no injuries reported, the Fire Department said at the time.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrained. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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