subdue

1 to achieve a victory over subdued her fear of the dark by joining a club for spelunkers Synonyms 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), worstRelated Words 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 fall, give up, go down, go under; collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash outAntonyms lose (to)

2 to bring under one's control by force of arms subdued the rebels and sent their leaders to the gallows Synonyms dominate, overpower, pacify, conquer, subject, subjugate, subordinate, vanquishRelated Words 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 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 clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, repress, silence, slap down, snuff (out), squash, squelch, quell, suppressRelated Words 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 abet, aid, assist, back, help, prop up, support; foment, incite, instigate, provoke, stir, whip (up); advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote