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
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Recent Examples of restrained
Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Using restrained color palettes, natural materials, and touches of drama, Lind and her team at her eponymous firm bring out their clients’ unique personal styles to create homes perfectly suited to their lives.
—Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025
Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 3 Nov. 2025
In the first five months of 2024, employees of Southern Peaks Regional Treatment Center in Cañon City physically restrained young patients an average of 150 times per month, or five times in a typical day, said Emily Harvey, legal co-director of Disability Law Colorado.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Adjective
That doesn’t explain the physical dominance that feels more restrained these days.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Using restrained color palettes, natural materials, and touches of drama, Lind and her team at her eponymous firm bring out their clients’ unique personal styles to create homes perfectly suited to their lives.
—Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
At the event, which saw hundreds of people in attendance, law enforcement restrained individuals and set up tents to question them about their immigration status.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 3 Nov. 2025
In the first five months of 2024, employees of Southern Peaks Regional Treatment Center in Cañon City physically restrained young patients an average of 150 times per month, or five times in a typical day, said Emily Harvey, legal co-director of Disability Law Colorado.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrained
Adjective
-
That snare sound is as instantly identifiable as Miles Davis’s muted horn or Eddie Van Halen’s pyrotechnic neck tapping.—
John Lingan,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
-
With an understated mix of blue and yellow tones that provide warmth but still feel muted.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Through the integration with Tactical Assault Kit software, the team remotely controlled multiple unmanned ground and surface units across a large, 50-square-mile operational area.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
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Staff shortages have led to flow control programs to keep flights safe in other areas, too, like the airspace controlled by Jacksonville Center.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Also on Wednesday, a daycare employee was arrested outside of her workplace in Chicago.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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That’s when he was arrested at a Motel 6 outside Orlando, jailed and charged with grand theft for failing to return a rental car in Broward County.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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While Nash-Betts wore a plunging electric blue gown with a mermaid silhouette, Betts coordinated in a snakeskin trenchcoat with a more subdued shade of blue.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
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Fernandez decorated the home’s interiors with a warm, subdued palette to give the place a serene family-friendly vibe.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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How was fishing being regulated before this new system was put in place?—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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His lab also made a key discovery about how genes get regulated.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The London punk rebels seized the revolutionary spirit of 1977 with their raw manifesto The Clash, then refined their sound with the flawed Give ‘Em Enough Rope.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
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Government security forces seized 1,764 tonnes of cocaine between August 2022 and November 2024, followed by a further 601 tonnes between January and August 2025.—
Gustavo Petro,
Time,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Chicago Bears were relatively quiet ahead of the NFL trade deadline.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Hotel Fasano São Paulo Itaim Consistently top-notch, from the beds to the dining, Hotel Fasano exudes quiet luxury.—
Jade Moyano,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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As of Wednesday afternoon, the fire has been fully contained.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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The blaze is now contained, but a shelter-in-place order remains in effect for the area around the airport.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Restrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrained. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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