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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026
The more subdued arrival extended beyond the flight.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Police said the suspect also attacked responding officers before he was subdued with a Taser.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
Here, the spa is much smaller and more subdued in design, although the same treatments are offered.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026
The more subdued arrival extended beyond the flight.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
His breakdown moment with Lane’s Willy, whose explosive temper is finally subdued by his son’s desperate need to be seen, draws out all the tragic heartbreak of a classic that has been liberated from the customary domestic trappings only to be made more intimate.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
Police said the suspect also attacked responding officers before he was subdued with a Taser.
—Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
Almost all of her daytime choices are neutral tones — soft grays or muted colors, pinstriped wool blazers and soft charcoals.—
Gretta Monahan,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2026
-
Rooms were designed by Lowell and decorator Tiffany Vassilakis, featuring muted interiors, fireplaces and claw-foot tubs — closer in feel to a private country home than a traditional hotel.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Once fierce rivals, the two men were responsible for the country’s first peaceful transfer of power between parties, after Jefferson and his Democratic-Republican Party defeated Adams and the Federalists in the election of 1800.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Disable my adblockerContinue without disabling Contact support|We're using DeVaux’s dream was realized in large part due to jockey Jose Ortiz, who defeated his own brother — who was on top of Renegade — for the win.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Verb
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The combination dominated on both sides of the floor.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Instead, the interstellar medium is dominated by gas, and mostly hydrogen gas at that, but in the warmer, more diffuse regions of space, that gas becomes ionized, rendering it into a plasma.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
This not only suppressed uneven vertical phase distribution but also improved film uniformity across the devices.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
Ukraine's air force said in a post to Telegram that Russia launched 108 drones and three missiles into the country overnight, of which 89 drones were intercepted or suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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Once there, prosecutors said the second victim was also forced into the back of the truck and restrained.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The novel opens with the news of William Stoner’s death, delivered in the restrained, factual tone of an obituary.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The central challenge is that China has mastered the entire innovation ecosystem, while the United States has allowed its own to fracture.—
Imran Khalid,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
-
Rival Blue Origin has only just cracked the reusable-rocket tech that Falcon mastered; SpaceX may already be moving a generation beyond it.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
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With over 40 years of experience and a heritage rooted in the prestigious Valmont Clinic on the Swiss Riviera, the brand has conquered the world of skincare, combining advanced science, the purest natural ingredients from the Alps, and an unmistakable artistic sensibility.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Admittedly, the company conquered the market in large part by achieving a dramatic reduction in launch costs.—
Ben Tarnoff,
Big Think,
23 Apr. 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 11 May. 2026.
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