subdue

1 to achieve a victory over subdued her fear of the dark by joining a club for spelunkers Synonyms of subdue best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down [British], get, get around, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, beat, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worstWords Related to subdue sweep; edge (out), nose out, pip [British]; annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke [slang], snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax [slang], whip; cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed; knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish; ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, excel, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcendNear Antonyms of subdue fall, give up, go down, go under; collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash outAntonyms of subdue lose (to)

2 to bring under one's control by force of arms subdued the rebels and sent their leaders to the gallows Synonyms of subdue dominate, overpower, pacify, conquer, subject, subjugate, subordinate, vanquishWords Related to subdue annihilate, beat, clobber, crush, defeat, drub, lick, mow (down), overcome, prevail (over), reduce, rout, skunk, smash, thrash, triumph (over), trounce, wallop, whip; enslave; break, clamp down (on), crack down (on), put down, quash, quell, repress, silence, smother, snuff (out), squash, squelch, suppressNear Antonyms of subdue discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, free, liberate, manumit, release, spring, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter

3 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 of subdue clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, repress, silence, slap down, snuff (out), squash, squelch, quell, suppressWords Related to subdue douse (also dowse), extinguish, put out, quench; smother, stifle, strangle, throttle; annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, nuke, rub out, ruin, smash, waste, wreck; exterminate, obliterate, wipe out; conquer, dominate, overcome, overpower, overwhelm, quell, subjugate, vanquishNear Antonyms of subdue abet, aid, assist, back, help, prop up, support; foment, incite, instigate, provoke, stir, whip (up); advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote