tame

[ teym ]

/ teɪm /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: tame / tamed / tamer / taming on Thesaurus.com

adjective, tam·er, tam·est.

changed from the wild or savage state; domesticated: a tame bear.

without the savageness or fear of humans normal in wild animals; gentle, fearless, or without shyness, as if domesticated: That lion acts as tame as a house cat.

tractable, docile, or submissive, as a person or the disposition.

lacking in excitement; dull; insipid: a very tame party.

spiritless or pusillanimous.

not to be taken very seriously; without real power or importance; serviceable but harmless: They kept a tame scientist around.

brought into service; rendered useful and manageable; under control, as natural resources or a source of power.

cultivated or improved by cultivation, as a plant or its fruit.

verb (used with object), tamed, tam·ing.

to make tame; domesticate; make tractable.

to deprive of courage, ardor, or zest.

to deprive of interest, excitement, or attractiveness; make dull.

to soften; tone down.

to harness or control; render useful, as a source of power.

to cultivate, as land or plants.

verb (used without object), tamed, tam·ing.

to become tame.

OTHER WORDS FOR tame

3 meek, obedient, yielding.

4 flat, vapid, boring, tedious, tiresome, uninteresting.

5 cowardly, dastardly, fainthearted.

9 break, subdue.

12 calm, moderate, mollify.

See synonyms for tame on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR tame

1 wild.

See antonyms for tame on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of tame

First recorded before 900; (adjective) Middle English; Old English tam; cognate with Dutch tam, German zahm, Old Norse tamr; (verb) Middle English tamen, derivative of the adjective; replacing Middle English temen “to tame,” Old English temian, derivative of tam; cognate with Old Norse temja, Gothic gatamjan; akin to Latin domāre “to tame”

OTHER WORDS FROM tame

tame·ly, adverbtame·ness, nountam·er, nouno·ver·tame, adjective

o·ver·tame·ly, adverbo·ver·tame·ness, nounun·tame, adjectiveun·tame·ly, adverbun·tame·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tame in a sentence

Flecks of sea salt and the scent of lemon tame the woodsy flavor.
This Valentine’s Day, reach for a better box of chocolates|Daniela Galarza|January 31, 2021|Washington Post
New Dealers promoted the re-engineering of the nation’s rivers as a means to stimulate the economy, tame private enterprise and shore up democracy.
Breaking up Big Tech can’t save American democracy by itself|Jordan Howell|January 31, 2021|Washington Post
You can use them to tame flyaways quickly, maintain curl definition, or achieve a professional-looking blowout from the comfort of your home.
The best hair dryer: Get a salon-worthy blowout at home|Carsen Joenk|January 22, 2021|Popular-Science
The tame remarks were a contrast to Ma’s last public speech in October, in which he blasted China’s financial regulators for stifling innovation.
Alibaba’s Jack Ma reemerges from three-month absence after clash with Beijing|Eva Dou, Lyric Li|January 20, 2021|Washington Post

Westerly breezes remain tame, only gusting a couple of times toward 15 mph.
D.C.-area forecast: Showers by late afternoon or evening, then perhaps some snow showers Saturday|A. Camden Walker|January 15, 2021|Washington Post
Let us remember that "if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom!"
The Eve of the Revolution|Carl Becker
We leave Pernambuco, with a firm persuasion that this part of Brazil at least will never again tamely submit to Portugal.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil|Maria Graham
I put this very tamely, being on the whole a quiet elderly man; but it is a strong passion with me, though intermittent.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 25 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson
"Of course we won't lie down and tamely submit to such false charges," agreed Lieutenant Overton.
Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants|H. Irving Hancock
The nomination of candidates now went forward rather tamely, though relieved by occasional sharp contests.
A Hoosier Chronicle|Meredith Nicholson

British Dictionary definitions for tame

tame

/ (teɪm) /

adjective

changed by man from a naturally wild state into a tractable, domesticated, or cultivated condition

(of animals) not fearful of human contact

lacking in spirit or initiative; meek or submissivea tame personality

flat, insipid, or uninspiringa tame ending to a book

slow-movinga tame current

verb (tr)

to make tame; domesticate

to break the spirit of, subdue, or curb

to tone down, soften, or mitigate

Derived forms of tame

tamable or tameable, adjectivetamability, tameability, tamableness or tameableness, nountameless, adjectivetamely, adverb

tameness, nountamer, noun

Word Origin for tame

Old English tam; related to Old Norse tamr, Old High German zam

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

tame

OTHER WORDS FOR tame

OPPOSITES FOR tame

Origin of tame

OTHER WORDS FROM tame

Words related to tame

How to use tame in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tame

Derived forms of tame

Word Origin for tame