subdue
verb (used with object)
to conquer and bring into subjection.
were subduing
-
past progressiveof subdue.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Thao held back a small crowd of bystanders while Chauvin and two other officers were subduing Floyd, who police suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a nearby store.
From Reuters ● Aug. 7, 2023
Iran, which is said to support the P.U.K. clandestinely, has been sending small units into the area for months under the pretext that they were subduing Iranian Kurds.
From Time Magazine Archive
After his death, his empire separated itself into its elements—a number of small states whose rulers were fighting one another while the Turks were subduing Thrace.
From Serbia: A Sketch by Helen Leah Reed
