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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subdued
Beatrice Dupuy, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
For a more subdued columbine, look to the ‘pink lantern’ varietal.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 26 Apr. 2026
Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
The attacker was apprehended and subdued by Shomrim, a volunteer security organization that provides supplemental emergency services in Jewish communities.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
Other co-chairs of the evening Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams chose more subdued looks.
—Beatrice Dupuy, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
For a more subdued columbine, look to the ‘pink lantern’ varietal.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
The celebration from general manager Bill Guerin was rather subdued after the Wild earned a 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena to advance to the second round for the first time in more than a decade.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 2 May 2026
The attacker was apprehended and subdued by Shomrim, a volunteer security organization that provides supplemental emergency services in Jewish communities.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
That goes for much here, from the light that scurries away from Benjamín Echazarreta’s muted camera, to the moments of sweetness that punctuate Mariá Portugal’s largely ominous score.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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Moreover, the brand’s growth in Europe, Middle East and Africa was impacted by muted consumer sentiment in Europe due to both higher energy costs and inflation and because the conflict impacted the brand’s ability to ship into the Middle East.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
McGregor first fought at welterweight in 2016 in a shocking loss to Diaz, then defeated Diaz later that year, again in the 170-pound division.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
True North Classical Academy defeated SLAM (Tampa) in five sets in the 1A state final.—
Alex Kushel,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Public safety dominated the exchange, with sharp disagreements over crime trends, law enforcement authority and the role sheriffs should play in statewide policy.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Seattle dominated in its 29-13 victory that earned the Seahawks their second Lombardi Trophy.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Ukraine's air force said in a post to Telegram on Thursday that Russia launched 675 drones and 56 missiles into the country overnight, of which 652 drones and 41 missiles were intercepted or suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
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This not only suppressed uneven vertical phase distribution but also improved film uniformity across the devices.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Puerto Rican rum production emphasizes column distillation and filtration, yielding a cleaner, lighter, and more restrained profile than many heavier Caribbean styles.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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It was described by critics as psychologically uneasy and emotionally claustrophobic, with Keough serving as the restrained emotional center of the film.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
Verb
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How to Sort Laundry Effectively There are only three steps required to sort laundry effectively and they can be mastered by almost everyone.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
-
Over 10 years, Cheng mastered techniques not only for new construction but also for small-scale traditional buildings in a folk style.—
Erin Tan,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
In addition to starring in General Hospital and The 13th Alley, Lamas’ eldest daughter has conquered the reality space.—
Ilana Frost,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
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Ted Turner, the charismatic, larger-than-life figure who conquered the world of media, sports and philanthropy, has died, according to a release by Turner Enterprises obtained by CNN.—
Tim Gray,
Variety,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Abreu quelled the inning, however, striking out Dylan Beavers and Coby Mayo swinging at sliders.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Anxiety quelled, the party starts back up, with Bambaataa spinning a record by James Brown.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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