as in muted
not excessively showy
the wedding was a subdued affair, with only close family and friends attending
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in defeated
to achieve a victory over
subdued her fear of the dark by joining a club for spelunkers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dominated
to bring under one's control by force of arms
subdued the rebels and sent their leaders to the gallows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in suppressed
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of subdued
Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
After gathering feedback from residents and shooting victims, the city ultimately decided that two locations, with a more subdued site at Port Clinton and a much more immersive site at the current location of the temporary memorial, were the best path forward.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 1 Mar. 2026
Rooms are a bit subdued, in creams and whites, though a pop of color is provided here and there.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
What resulted was a more subdued color version of the original neon decor.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
After gathering feedback from residents and shooting victims, the city ultimately decided that two locations, with a more subdued site at Port Clinton and a much more immersive site at the current location of the temporary memorial, were the best path forward.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
The mood was tense and subdued.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 1 Mar. 2026
Rooms are a bit subdued, in creams and whites, though a pop of color is provided here and there.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
The staterooms are a testament to this, decked out in muted tones of gold, silver and blue.—
Helen Wright,
TheWeek,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Jamner said to expect muted reactions in financial markets to the release, typically closely monitored on Wall Street.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sierra Canyon defeated Santa Margarita 72-60 behind 23 points and 10 rebounds from Brandon McCoy.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Jayson Tatum kick-started Boston with a strong first quarter in his second game back from Achilles surgery, and co-star Jaylen Brown flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 109-98 at Rocket Arena.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Dominican Republic is undefeated, a perfect 5-0 and has dominated throughout the entire tournament.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The following decade, middle-class Americans without children moved to cities en masse, buying up condos and building wealth in urban areas otherwise dominated by rentals.—
M. Nolan Gray,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The other theme was how much player movement has been suppressed.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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The group also said the memorial had suppressed other voices that criticized Israel, including the Israeli philosopher Omri Boehm, who was slated to give a commemoration speech at Buchenwald last year.—
Shira Li Bartov,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Even the more restrained Lampros is facing criticism from local attorneys and law enforcement who say his group’s tactics violate constitutional rights and jeopardize legitimate investigations.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
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The restrained green and yellow palette of lady's mantle has a pretty cottage look without adding more color.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There was the genre-bending aesthetic Kamara has long mastered in his designs and styling, where streetwear and formal attire seamlessly meld, much like a jazz number.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
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This team might just have mastered it more than any in recent years.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After fashion’s front row set conquered London, the caravan rolled onto Milan Fashion Week, where the energy felt instantly amplified.—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
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News broke yesterday that Andor‘s Beau Willimon has boarded a Game of Thrones movie, which will follow the story of Aegon I, the first Lord of the Seven Kingdoms who conquered Westeros and spawned the Targaryen dynasty.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Suspicion of a Kurdish insurgency, however, might not be so easily quelled, not only among Pahlavi’s supporters but across Iran’s political spectrum.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Deadly childhood disease after deadly childhood disease quelled by vaccines.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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