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
Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2025
Overall, the wine is well-balanced, clean and made in a subdued manner that would not overwhelm food pairings such as sautéed scallops or shrimp.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Jen Cason, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2024
Advertisement Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.
—Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
The saccharine, fruity taste that dominates the banana matcha latte is a stark contrast to the subdued, earthy flavors of high-quality matcha.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2025
Overall, the wine is well-balanced, clean and made in a subdued manner that would not overwhelm food pairings such as sautéed scallops or shrimp.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Verb
The wreaths range from classic and subdued to colorful and illuminated, and they can be used year after year thanks to their faux-yet-realistic-looking materials.
—Jen Cason, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2024
Advertisement Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.
—Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
Consumers who prefer a caramel macchiato from Starbucks for their caffeine hit will likely see a more muted impact on their wallets.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
10 July 2025
-
Market movements were relatively muted, signaling investors think Trump’s new tariffs are more negotiating tactics than firm policy.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
The Ferrari driver nailed his start from pole and dominated the end of the sprint race in what was an impressive drive.—
Luke Smith,
The Athletic,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Give me Tennesee to cover without too much trouble against a UCLA team that dominated its first-round foe, Utah State, but went just 23-10 (13-7 Big Ten) this year.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Caspar suppressed his urge to respond.—
Brandon Taylor,
The Atlantic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Ukrainians are uncovering their country’s culinary history – and how its distinctive features were suppressed by the authorities during Soviet rule.—
Howard LaFranchi,
The Christian Science Monitor,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Pulse Picks Yes, the MLB trade deadline could be quiet … but there are some big names that could move, too.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
-
Once a quiet fishing village, Nazaré, Portugal, is home to some of the world's largest rideable waves, reaching up to 100 feet.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Service is friendly but discreet, something the Swiss have mastered like few others.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
-
That that's something that's really, really hard to replicate, and he's really mastered it.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Scarlett Johansson has conquered the superhero franchise, been nominated for several prestigious awards and years ago made her way into Saturday Night Live’s prestigious Five-Timers Club.—
Kevin Dolak,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Jan. 2025
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By contrast, Xinjiang was conquered in the mid-18th century by the Qing dynasty (around the same time the British were marching on India) and then claimed by the current People’s Republic of China after its formation in 1949.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
From there, though, the Magic closed within 90-80 late in the third period with a 12-0 run that was quelled by a Pelle Larsson three-point play.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Dec. 2024
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But the speculation in space, nuclear, mobility, and quantum names must be quelled to get a real ending to this.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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These moves have prompted concern among segments of Trump's base supportive of a restrained international role, raising questions about the administration's direction ahead of a crucial 2026 midterm election cycle.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
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As Rick, Goggins got to show longtime fans and incoming members of his fan club a rarer side of the actor: quiet, restrained, in deep amounts of unspoken pain.—
Josh Wigler,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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