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
-
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.
All industries surveyed reported brighter expectations this month, especially the motor-vehicle sector, even as sentiment there remains subdued due to high energy prices and Chinese competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Recent weak jobs data and subdued inflation data prompted markets to trim rate rise bets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The recent subdued action in crude belies a bigger problem brewing in refined products such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
At the point the light became muted and subdued, and the noise from the crowd softened as they took in the spectacle.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
“I design with a view to a passage of quietly composed, soft, subdued pensive character, shape the ground, screen out discordant elements and get suitable vegetation growing.”
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
