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
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
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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.
After gaining entry, he "intervened with the assistance of a cabin crew member and several passengers, and together they rescued the injured captain and restrained the suspect".
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
One passenger, Yaniv Hayun, met Netanyahu and told him how he and others on the flight had restrained the attacker.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Yet that was a restrained debate, locked into hypotheticals about how Iran might react if the country’s security was further threatened.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Emily Adel, chief of staff at a publishing company, remembers watching her mom live a limited life, restrained by demands at home, never traveling even during her “best years.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
He still restrained himself from other investments, but as he saw friends everywhere expanding, he wondered if he was not crazy to do the same.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
