subdued 1 of 2

adjective

səb-ˈdüd How to pronounce subdued (audio)
Definition of subduednext
as in muted
not excessively showy the wedding was a subdued affair, with only close family and friends attending

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

subdued

2 of 2

verb

past tense of subdue
1
as in defeated
to achieve a victory over subdued her fear of the dark by joining a club for spelunkers

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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

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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

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
Adjective
An intermediate version had more saturated, vibrant colors, but discussions with the director led to a more subdued final grade, closer to the original photography. — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 But while the look appeared more subdued from the front, Edebiri turned around to reveal a true fashion mullet. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
These songbirds, which gave long phrases and haunting melodies in spring, are much more subdued this time of year. — Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026 Armed and hooded, the gang was waved in by Black and surprised, subdued, and handcuffed the other security guards. — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
  1. muted
  2. defeated
  3. dominated
  4. suppressed
  5. restrained
  6. mastered
  7. conquered
  8. quelled
Adjective
  • The corporate nerve center is clad in the company palette of muted grays and bright-red accents.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Volumes were very muted Monday for the first extended session for stocks.
    — Oliver Renick,Tyler Bailey, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of muted
Verb
  • In 2026, Keiko Fujimori narrowly defeated a left-wing candidate to win the Peruvian presidency, while most recently, in Colombia, conservative attorney Abelardo de la Espriella bested left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda.
    — David Unsworth, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Since Baker Mayfield signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023, the Panthers have defeated their division rivals just once in the past seven meetings, including Carolina’s 43-13 blowout loss at home Sunday.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of defeated
Verb
  • Vucic dominated Serbian politics since becoming president of the Serbian Progressive Party, or SNS, in 2012, then becoming prime minister in 2014, then switching over to president in 2017.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
  • But supporters also warned that a Congress increasingly dominated by the far right and the agribusiness caucus could undermine those efforts to protect the forest and combat climate change.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of dominated
Verb
  • The workers organized a strike, but their efforts were brutally suppressed.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • For 15 years multiple rounds of quantitative easing kept yields suppressed below 3% and often even close to zero, returns which are hardly competitive with stocks.
    — Justin Zacks, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppressed
Adjective
  • Her perspective—consistently serene and largely without self-interest—lends the novel a restrained and gently contemplative tone.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The hotel interprets this mantra through balanced proportions, restrained interiors, and a hospitality approach that favors comfort over excess.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of restrained
Verb
  • Miller—who is no stranger to extramarital tabloid scandals herself—has also mastered her getting-cheated-on performances.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Bloomberg Philanthropies says the West Coast city has mastered the art of faster building applications.
    — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of mastered
Verb
  • From Ricky Martin’s Grammy breakthrough to the rise of música mexicana, Tommy Mottola and Alex Gallardo offered a candid look at how Latin music conquered the mainstream — and why its next evolution will depend on artists willing to break the mold.
    — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The announcement comes after a summer in which AI models have repeatedly conquered many of math’s longstanding open challenges, including one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems.
    — Rachel Crowell, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of conquered
Verb
  • The quiet moments of the offseason were eventually quelled by the madness of a young locker room, on a team replete with potential.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Ossoff has repeatedly denied interest in a White House bid, but that hasn’t quelled the talk.
    — Jared Gans, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of quelled

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Cite this Entry

“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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