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
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Recent Examples of subdued
Daniel Bice, Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024
Even a traditional white marble fireplace can have an impact in a subdued way when paired with a corresponding wall paint color.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
Jen Cason, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2024
Advertisement Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.
—Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for subdued 
Adjective
The race, which did not feature a competitive primary, began as a subdued affair.
—Daniel Bice, Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024
Even a traditional white marble fireplace can have an impact in a subdued way when paired with a corresponding wall paint color.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
The wreaths range from classic and subdued to colorful and illuminated, and they can be used year after year thanks to their faux-yet-realistic-looking materials.
—Jen Cason, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2024
Advertisement Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.
—Alex Veiga, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for subdued
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subdued
Adjective
-
Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan had a more muted view on shares of Netflix.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Completed in 1914, the canal’s planned grand opening ceremony was canceled because of the outbreak of World War I, with the first vessel passage being a muted affair.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The score was not the only statistic that was dominated by one team over another.—
Giovanni Malloy,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Texas also dominated on the ground with 292 rushing yards, while Clemson managed only 76.—
Giovanni Malloy,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Caspar suppressed his urge to respond.—
Brandon Taylor,
The Atlantic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Ukrainians are uncovering their country’s culinary history – and how its distinctive features were suppressed by the authorities during Soviet rule.—
Howard LaFranchi,
The Christian Science Monitor,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
After going quiet briefly as emergency responders grappled to contain the multiple fires that destroyed entire neighborhoods and killed at least 27 people, De Laurentiis broke her silence.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Try to snag a room on the third floor for ultimate peace and quiet.—
Ariel Okin,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Things happened—or didn’t happen—depending on who had the ear of the president at any moment and who had mastered the dark arts of bureaucratic warfare.—
Henry Farrell,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Dec. 2024
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And Valverde has mastered this facet of the game, with five of his six goals this season coming from shots from outside the penalty area — the most by any player in Europe’s top five domestic leagues.—
Mario Cortegana,
The Athletic,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Scarlett Johansson has conquered the superhero franchise, been nominated for several prestigious awards and years ago made her way into Saturday Night Live’s prestigious Five-Timers Club.—
Kevin Dolak,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Jan. 2025
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By contrast, Xinjiang was conquered in the mid-18th century by the Qing dynasty (around the same time the British were marching on India) and then claimed by the current People’s Republic of China after its formation in 1949.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
From there, though, the Magic closed within 90-80 late in the third period with a 12-0 run that was quelled by a Pelle Larsson three-point play.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Dec. 2024
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But the speculation in space, nuclear, mobility, and quantum names must be quelled to get a real ending to this.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In this case, the Mechanical Watch Box goes for restrained elegance.—
David Szondy,
New Atlas,
22 Jan. 2025
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But four years later, after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 had driven the president's approval rating to record highs and fueled a win in the popular vote as well as the Electoral College, the atmosphere was more restrained.—
Ron Elving,
NPR,
18 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near subdued
Cite this Entry
“Subdued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subdued. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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