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
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
Meg Walters, Glamour, 29 Jan. 2026
Suddenly, what has been a subdued room following a training session bursts into life.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Lynn Hirschberg, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
There seems every chance that the atmosphere will be similarly subdued on Sunday, not least because so many Spurs fans are currently gripped by a numbing apathy at the state of their club and have lost patience with Frank.
—Dan Kilpatrick, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Adjective
Their courtship was tender, quiet, subdued—and hardly full of the passion and yearning that Bridgerton has become known for.
—Meg Walters, Glamour, 29 Jan. 2026
Suddenly, what has been a subdued room following a training session bursts into life.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
But tonight her mood is subdued rather than swinging.
—Lynn Hirschberg, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
There seems every chance that the atmosphere will be similarly subdued on Sunday, not least because so many Spurs fans are currently gripped by a numbing apathy at the state of their club and have lost patience with Frank.
—Dan Kilpatrick, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
After years of muted activity at the midseason, executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas kickstarted a flurry of activity Tuesday — first cementing a three-team trade to acquire Jaden Ivey from Detroit, then offloading Nikola Vučević to the Boston Celtics.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Recreate the look in a similar muted color scheme, like allover cloudy white, or play around with vivid color combinations like Miami teal and head-to-toe pinks.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Coached by Mike Holmgren and led by quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle went 13-3 during the regular season and defeated Washington and Carolina in the playoffs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Celta defeated Rayo 3-0, but this was a match that is likely to be remembered for what happened off the pitch.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That possibility has injected urgency into negotiations and heightened the stakes of what has become a test of legislative independence from a governor who has long dominated Tallahassee politics.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
-
This is markedly different from much of Holocaust literature, which is dominated by stories of survivors from elsewhere in Europe who migrated to the United States, Argentina, Canada, Israel, and other countries and who regard their places of origin and sites of their wartime experience from afar.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched two missiles and 183 drones into the country overnight, of which 156 drones were shot down or suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Congress was sidelined, independent media was suppressed, and opponents were detained, all under a veneer of legal authority.—
Alejandro Reyes,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
On the street, the Mazda3 hatchback carries itself with a restrained yet purposeful elegance.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Arnold’s Heathcliff is much more fully developed as a character, in part due to the more restrained performances and Arnold’s highly sensory style.—
Cazzie David,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Each of them had mastered the master-class circuit; none had needed help with where to sleep.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
For this Welsh immigrant family rose from nothing to produce an American icon who mastered a distinctly American art form — the ultimate apotheosis of the American Dream — and who is, ironically, the most miserable of them all.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Volcker went down in history as the man who conquered inflation, laying the foundation for decades of American prosperity.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
His small band of Spaniards pulled off the impossible, and conquered the Mexica empire with alliances, superior technology and diseases.—
Brad Templeton,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If Quebec’s French-Canadian separatist movement and various referenda were ultimately quelled by Canada recognizing that culturally and linguistically unique province as a nation within Canada, then Alberta is headed for a similar result, at best.—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Haitian immigrants in limbo A federal court ruling to maintain the temporary legal status of Haitian immigrants has not quelled fears for thousands of people in the community.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
