subdued

American  

[suhb-dood, -dyood] / səbˈdud, -ˈdyud /

adjective

1. quiet; inhibited; repressed; controlled.

   After the argument he was much more subdued.

2. lowered in intensity or strength; reduced in fullness of tone, as a color or voice; muted.

   subdued light; wallpaper in subdued greens.

3. (of land) not marked by any striking features, as mountains or cliffs.

   a subdued landscape.

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subdued British  

/ səbˈdjuːd /

adjective

1. cowed, passive, or shy

2. gentle or quiet

   a subdued whisper

3. (of colours, etc) not harsh or bright

   subdued lighting

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Other Word Forms

• half-subdued adjective
• self-subdued adjective
• subduedly adverb
• subduedness noun
• unsubdued adjective

Etymology

Origin of subdued

First recorded in 1595–1605; subdue + -ed ²

Example Sentences

But as it tries to make improvements in China through the next fiscal year — its fiscal 2027 — management said sales growth there would likely be more subdued as a result.

From MarketWatch

Given subdued auto and EV sales in China in January and February, Nomura expects BYD may see more evident business improvement starting in the second quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal

Strong sales during Black Friday week at the end of November led to subdued demand in December, while the timing of Lunar New Year also dented demand.

From The Wall Street Journal

Xiaomi reported a slump in quarterly net profit, caught between soaring memory-chip prices and subdued consumption in one of the world’s largest consumer markets.

From The Wall Street Journal

The energy shock from the conflict is expected to hit U.K. economic growth, which was already subdued before the attacks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• hushed
• low-key
• mellow
• muted
• restrained
• sober
• solemn
• unobtrusive