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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of subdued
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Oct. 2025
While his performance as Jay’s manager is a bit more subdued than many were expecting, if awards voters decide the time has come to give Sandler his due, this role is certainly solid enough to support such a campaign.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Producer Yung Willis’ electronic flourishes and subdued log drums help soundtrack Jiggy’s late-night rendezvous.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
Meanwhile, the latest collection of Isko Luxury by PG fabrics were more subdued compared to previous seasons but no less complex and creative.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Oct. 2025
While his performance as Jay’s manager is a bit more subdued than many were expecting, if awards voters decide the time has come to give Sandler his due, this role is certainly solid enough to support such a campaign.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
Bugonia is surprisingly subdued for a movie about alien conspiracy theories.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Producer Yung Willis’ electronic flourishes and subdued log drums help soundtrack Jiggy’s late-night rendezvous.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
It was all suitably muted and understated.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
25 Oct. 2025
-
BeCalm is full of smart little touches that make life easier — think hidden pockets for your phone, buttery-soft fabrics that never cling, and muted tones that actually make getting dressed feel calming.—
Katie Ann Lehman,
StyleCaster,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Blue Jays nearly defeated the Dodgers in Game 6 on Friday night, but the valiant comeback attempt fell short in the ninth inning as Los Angeles was able to turn a game-ending double play.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Spanberger then narrowly defeated Nick Frietas, a Republican member of the House of Delegates, in 2020 to be re-elected.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Instead, after entering the third period tied, the Wild got absolutely dominated by the Pittsburgh Penguins to once again disappoint the frustrated home crowd during what has been a miserable start to this 2025-26 campaign.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
In fact, Nashville dominated the first half of the regular season finale and led 2-1 before Miami scored four unanswered goals in the second half.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This may have resulted in cooling that had until now suppressed the sublimation of water ice to steam.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Of those, 592 drones and 31 missiles were shot down or otherwise suppressed, the air force said.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That doesn’t explain the physical dominance that feels more restrained these days.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Using restrained color palettes, natural materials, and touches of drama, Lind and her team at her eponymous firm bring out their clients’ unique personal styles to create homes perfectly suited to their lives.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Most fans of the show have likely been bracing themselves to see how Hemsworth takes on a character Cavill has long mastered.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Few people have mastered the art of quietly luxurious style as well as Gwyneth Paltrow, and a quick scroll through her Instagram page proves it.—
Melony Forcier,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Deep learning soon conquered speech recognition, translation, image captioning, board games, and even the problem of predicting how proteins will fold.—
James Somers,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
-
And some fears really can be conquered.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
None of the measures have quelled the public outcry.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The Tiger defense quelled a red-hot Commodore offense for most of the game, and on the other side, Mizzou made a pair of trips to the red zone.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share