as in muted
not excessively showy
a restrained but elegant black purse
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Marta Martínez Tato, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Bouteraa plays Lilia with restrained mannerisms, but an avalanche of emotion in her face.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Steve Reed, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
In the fourth quarter, Lee was ejected after having to be restrained by Miller from going after an official after his player, Grant Williams, collided with Detroit's Paul Reed.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Adjective
Beatrix, first as crown princess and later as queen, continued to use the tiara, although with a more restrained use, often combining it with other pieces of the ensemble or reserving it for very specific diplomatic appointments.
—Marta Martínez Tato, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Bouteraa plays Lilia with restrained mannerisms, but an avalanche of emotion in her face.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
Midway through the fourth quarter, Lee was ejected and had to be restrained by Hornets guard Brandon Miller while yelling at officials for a no-call after Charlotte’s Grant Williams collided with Detroit’s Paul Reed.
—Steve Reed, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
In the fourth quarter, Lee was ejected after having to be restrained by Miller from going after an official after his player, Grant Williams, collided with Detroit's Paul Reed.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrained
Adjective
-
This provided a clean palette for the recreation of muted, period-accurate tones with subtle, textured colors set against the deep wood grains, which complemented the 35mm Kodak film stock.—
Bill Desowitz,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Queen’s impact has been a bit more muted and inconsistent since Zion Williamson re-entered the lineup for the New Orleans Pelicans.—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Thick or coarse hair becomes more controlled without needing grease or gel.—
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The drones can also be controlled by a pilot.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Two people were arrested after refusing to stop and leading Fort Worth police on a pursuit on Saturday afternoon.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Days ago, he was arrested and held in custody for nearly 11 hours on suspicion of misconduct in having shared confidential trade information with Epstein.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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With such a statement on top, Jenner kept the rest of the look relatively subdued.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The recent batch of labor market data (both public and private) indicated that there’s a high likelihood that job growth was tepid, that unemployment remained subdued and that health care remained a primary driver of overall hiring.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After independence, more banks regulated by individual states, if at all, were established.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Authored the Cultivate Texas Act—responsible adult legalization (age 21+, regulated like alcohol, strict youth prevention/testing) generating billions for property tax elimination and schools.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Against the odds, Ukraine managed to repel the initial Russian attack on Kyiv and, within a few months, took back large swaths of land originally seized by Moscow.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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In October 2022, two months after FBI agents seized boxes of materials from his Mar-a-Lago home, the then-former president questioned a president’s or former president’s legal authority to declassify sensitive information.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Without my father’s booming presence, our house was strangely quiet.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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What was once a gravel and sand mine is being reforested and turned into a sanctuary with quiet beaches and a pristine, spring water lake.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After his death, Bogut and her family found out that the drugs Patryk had used before his death contained a lethal dose of fentanyl.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The fire is over 280,000 acres and only 15% contained, according to Watch Duty, a wildfire tracking app.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrained. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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