as in muted
not excessively showy the wedding was a subdued affair, with only close family and friends attending
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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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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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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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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
Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2026 And according to data from Opendoor, the preference for subdued shades extends to the front door as well, with 44% of homeowners valuing white, gray, gray-blue, and gray-green at an entrance. —Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026 The restrictions had previously subdued holiday celebrations and sparked international criticism when Catholic leaders were barred from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday. —Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
The stroll to the 11th tee box was a subdued swagger, with confidence and strength emanating from every step of defending Masters champion Rory McIlroy. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2026 And according to data from Opendoor, the preference for subdued shades extends to the front door as well, with 44% of homeowners valuing white, gray, gray-blue, and gray-green at an entrance. —Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
They were abandoned during the Mongol invasion in 1241 and then subdued by the Ottoman empire in 1526. —Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026 The restrictions had previously subdued holiday celebrations and sparked international criticism when Catholic leaders were barred from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday. —Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
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Hathaway's long brown hair cascaded past her waist, while her makeup consisted of rosy blush and a muted pink lip.— Hannah Malach, InStyle, 13 Apr. 2026
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Magaletti ventures a tentative introduction of brushes on snares; following the muted peal of distant thunder, upsammy chimes in with a plangent synthesizer sequence reminiscent of Arovane and other IDM producers from around the turn of the millennium.— Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Xander Bogaerts and Bryce Johnson delivered two-out RBIs as the San Diego Padres defeated the Angels 2-1 on Sunday.— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
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Also defeated was Vladimir Putin, who especially sought an Orbán victory to keep his firewall in the EU, where Hungary had used its power to block assistance to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia; no longer.— New York Daily News, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Crosby's dominance over Flyers Sidney Crosby has dominated the Flyers, regardless of season.— Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
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In the crowded field of candidates committed to or flirting with a run for mayor of Chicago, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias again dominated fundraising to start the year.— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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However, the ruthless King Saran (Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor) has suppressed magic users and enacts a rule of terror, which Zelie hopes to end in order to reunite Orisha’s clans.— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
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The Maduro regime, having stolen the July 2024 presidential election and suppressed the democratic opposition by force, triggered a new wave of international sanctions that choked off oil revenues and sent the bolívar into free fall.— Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In contrast, Ionic capitals, which are more restrained, currently grace the columns at the entrance of the White House.— Kevin D. Murphy, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026
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Some had pushed for a slightly more restrained proposal that would have given Democrats the upper hand in nine of the 11 House seats.— Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The new Play Dead vault releases, like the rest of the vault, have been curated by Lemieux and mastered by David Glasser.— Mike Snider, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
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Richard Dodd had originally mastered the record way back when.— Chris Willman, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Messi celebrated the winning goal in the arms of his teammates, another stadium conquered, with a smile anyone could understand.— Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
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Ariana Grande has conquered global arenas, the Oscars stage and, now, another CinemaCon.— Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Redick shouted out Bronny James for his efforts against Indiana after the game, lauding his defensive intensity – often being switched onto Pacers All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, and holding his own – along with a late mid-range jumper that quelled concerns of a once-improbable Indiana comeback.— Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
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The shooter killed an instructor and wounded two others before the ROTC cadets attacked him and quelled the threat, showing incredible bravery in the face of danger.— Nicole Russell, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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