restrained
Americanadjective
adjective
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(of a person or person's manner) calm and unemotional
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(of clothes, décor, etc) subtle and tasteful
Other Word Forms
- nonrestrained adjective
- restrainedly adverb
Etymology
Origin of restrained
Explanation
Use the adjective restrained to describe something that's kept under control, such as strong emotion or even physical movement. If you're angry but you don't want it to show, you might speak in a restrained manner. Restrained can describe someone or something that is physically immobilized or held back. For example, an angry crowd might have to be restrained by riot police. Or it can mean a different kind of holding back and describe something that is understated and discreet. Actresses who walk the red carpet often avoid attention-getting gowns in favor of more restrained outfits in times of war or national crisis.
Vocabulary lists containing restrained
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 Top "SAT" Words
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ms. Edebiri’s restrained and moving performance makes us reflect upon how radical that was, and maybe still is.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
“The deceased was a restrained driver involved in a single vehicle collision at a high rate of speed,” the report states.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
“Her heart was pierced because of what she would see,” Wille said, in what struck me as a moment of restrained insight.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
"Everything was there, but a little bit contained, a little bit restrained," he said.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Private companies would be granted leases to extract minerals and harvest timber, but they would be required to do so in a restrained, intelligent, sustainable way.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
