subdued
Americanadjective
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quiet; inhibited; repressed; controlled.
After the argument he was much more subdued.
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lowered in intensity or strength; reduced in fullness of tone, as a color or voice; muted.
subdued light; wallpaper in subdued greens.
-
(of land) not marked by any striking features, as mountains or cliffs.
a subdued landscape.
adjective
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cowed, passive, or shy
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gentle or quiet
a subdued whisper
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(of colours, etc) not harsh or bright
subdued lighting
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of subdued
Explanation
The adjective subdued refers to something, like a sound, that has a lowered intensity. Your loud conversation with a friend in the back of the classroom is likely to become subdued when the teacher passes out the exams. The word subdued is related to the Latin word, subdere, which means "to subtract from." Something that is subdued has lost some of its strength or intensity. Subdued lighting might create a romantic mood at a restaurant. And a subdued child is one who is no longer having a fit. A subdued economy is probably pretty sluggish.
Vocabulary lists containing subdued
"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 6
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Monster
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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.
The president made subdued calls for greater freedom of expression and religion while in China.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Uganda’s central bank maintained its key lending rate at 9.75% due to subdued inflation, while monitoring the Iran war’s economic impact.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
The analysts added that they expect buyback growth to be subdued in 2027 — but said Big Tech’s spending spree could translate into buybacks elsewhere.
From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026
On the night the Rams drafted Simpson, general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay were uncharacteristically subdued during a news conference.
From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026
When he was admitted to Procris’ presence, however, her manifest grief, her sad face and subdued manner, came near to making him give up the test he had planned.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
