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
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Recent Examples of subdued
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025
The subdued nature of this wine is very inviting, and the varietal character is spot on without announcing itself.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Eleven people were injured before the suspect was subdued by bystanders in the parking lot.
—Detroit Free Press, Freep.com, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
Accompanied by husband Prince William, the Princess of Wales evoked subdued elegance for the somber affair.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025
The subdued nature of this wine is very inviting, and the varietal character is spot on without announcing itself.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
There were no injuries, and when officers arrived customers had subdued the suspect, police said in a news release.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Eleven people were injured before the suspect was subdued by bystanders in the parking lot.
—Detroit Free Press, Freep.com, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
Max Studio London Godet Pleated Maxi Skirt Florals may be most commonly associated with the spring and summer, but opting for a darker, more muted shade allows the pattern to transition into the fall.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
-
But the colorful Diwali celebrations held annually in Indian-American communities throughout the United States are more muted this year compared to the past.—
Angela Chitkara,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The first proposal almost certainly would have been defeated in the courts, while the other sounds like a fiscal disaster waiting to happen.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Swift, meanwhile, made her first public appearance at an NFL game this season when the Chiefs defeated the Lions.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Although the new commercial space ethos of building satellites fast and cheap has dominated Earth imaging from space for years, deep-space astronomy has so far been headed mostly in the opposite direction — trending toward more complex machines worth billions of dollars.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
This winter's offseason is going to be dominated by the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The President praised the speed with which this modest protest was suppressed.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The Secret Commonwealth is the condemnation of a world where imagination—not making things up, but a way of seeing, understanding, feeling the world—is suppressed by the dual forces of cold rationality and religious fundamentalisms that breed authoritarianism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Seattle crowd that exploded in the first was quiet.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The three-bedroom property features quintessentially Scandi details like wide plank flooring and high ceilings, and the balcony comes equipped with sofas for quiet coffees in the morning light.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
You’re not supposed to have already mastered every bullet on the job description.—
Vicki Salemi,
Boston Herald,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Zuckerberg looks for job candidates who have mastered a skill and can apply it across business areas at the company.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Skipper is currently giving his heart to thee, and the blue and gold has conquered foe by foe.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
19 Oct. 2025
-
For 30 years, the solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestinians was thought to be the Oslo Accords, the 1993 agreements meant to produce a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza, territory that Israel had conquered in 1967 and militarily occupied since.—
Karl Vick,
Time,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The ensuing years of widespread speculation, meme coins, volatility, and the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX quelled any remaining enthusiasm.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The large police presence, with a handful of riot vans positioned between the protestors and the stadium entrance, quelled any threat of violence until a small flashpoint close to half-time — tear gas was briefly used to disperse activists who attempted to break through police barricades.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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