as in muted
not excessively showy
a restrained but elegant black purse
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in controlled
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
the victim's family members were unable to restrain their emotions upon hearing the verdict
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrested
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the suspect was restrained and taken to an undisclosed location
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restrained
Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
That means being cautious and restrained, aiming for stable production or slow, steady growth, instead of impulsive moves.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 7 May 2026
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
One grabbed an arm and held it behind his back, another raised the man’s other arm above his head, while a third restrained his ankles, according to the video.
—Darrell Smith
may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Adjective
The novel opens with the news of William Stoner’s death, delivered in the restrained, factual tone of an obituary.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
That means being cautious and restrained, aiming for stable production or slow, steady growth, instead of impulsive moves.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 7 May 2026
Verb
And even as China has been restrained in its criticisms of the US during this conflict, it’s long maintained that the war is Washington’s mess to fix.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
One grabbed an arm and held it behind his back, another raised the man’s other arm above his head, while a third restrained his ankles, according to the video.
—Darrell Smith
may 1, Sacbee.com, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrained
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
-
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
-
Our weather destiny will be controlled by an area of high pressure east of Maine.—
Terry Eliasen,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
-
At the time, OAPEC controlled more than 50% of the global oil market.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Police said Suarez was arrested and charged with two counts of manslaughter, three counts of vehicular manslaughter, two counts of vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
-
Jessica Moncallo, 30, was arrested and booked into the Dawson County Jail on May 11 in connection with a single-vehicle crash that claimed the life of a 16-year-old driver on April 15 on County Road 18, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a press release on Tuesday, May 12.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
The response was more subdued when, in the fourth round, the San Francisco 49ers selected Prysock.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
As the United States has escalated its attacks on Iran, there’s something pleasingly transgressive about bringing Iranian elements into such overtly Western music—so much so that the songs without Yaghmai’s playing seem a little subdued in comparison.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Earlier this year the company released a REST API that lets regulated financial platforms bolt blockchain wallet functionality onto their existing products.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
How Shift Work Disrupts Your Body Clock The circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour internal clock regulated primarily by light.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The tension spilled into election issues, including accusations that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seized ballots in a voter‑fraud investigation, now at the center of a legal fight with the state attorney general.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
Photograph courtesy Jennifer Hulse Israel seized control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank during the Six-Day War, in 1967.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Biltmore is polished, quiet, and—despite its size—manages not to feel at all intimidating.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 May 2026
-
My occupations have given me a happy, humble, quiet life, but always nagging in the back of my mind has been a case of impostor syndrome.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
On April 21, 2025, employees at an apartment complex where Turner worked as a maintenance worker reportedly found a tool bag in a storage room that contained 790 grams of fentanyl and one kilogram of cocaine, court records show.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
This speeds up the thawing process while keeping the fruit contained.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrained. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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