subdued

sub·dued
S1U1B3D2U1E1D2
US/səbˈdud/UK/səbˈdjuːd/

adjective

Conquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive.

“He subdued the dog yesterday.”

Similar
hushedmutedquietsoftlow-keylow-keyedrestrainedtame
Less commonScrabble 11
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Meanings

adjectivesubdued (comparative more subdued, superlative most subdued)

comparative more subdued · superlative most subdued · alternative subdood

  1. Conquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive.

    He is subdued after the disagreement last night.

    1 more example

    I pray you in your Letters, / When you ſhall theſe vnluckie deeds relate, / Speake of me, as I am. […] / Of one, whoſe ſubdu'd Eyes, / Albeit un-vsed to the melting moode, / Drops teares as faſt as the Arabian Trees / Their Medicinable gumme.

    1603, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, act V, scene ii, page 338
  2. Not glaring in color; soft and light in tone.

    The colour scheme used for this room is subdued.

  3. Reduced in intensity or strength; toned down.
verb

alternative subdood

  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of subdue

    He subdued the dog yesterday.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivein a softened tone

Similar
hushedmutedquietsoft

adjectiverestrained in style or quality

Similar
low-keylow-keyedrestrained

adjectivequieted and brought under control

Similar
tame

adjectivenot brilliant or glaring

Similar
softdull

adjectivelacking in light; not bright or harsh

Similar
dimdark
Also see
dimdullhushedlow-keylow-keyedmutedquietrestrainedsobersofttame

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Bulgarian подтиснат, подчинен
  • подтиснат (podtisnat)Conquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • подчинен (podčinen)Conquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • приглушен (priglušen)Not glaring in color; soft in tone
Dutch ingehouden, ingetogen
  • ingehoudenConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • ingetogenConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • gedemptNot glaring in color; soft in tone
Finnish kukistettu, päihitetty
  • kukistettuConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • päihitettyConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • lyötyConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • hillittyNot glaring in color; soft in tone
German gedämpft, bedrückt
  • gedämpftConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • bedrücktConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • gehorsamConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • kleinlautConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • mattConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • verhaltenConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • besiegtConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • niedergeschlagenConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • stillConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • unterdrücktConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • unterwarfenConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • zurückhaltendConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
Hungarian legyőzött, levert
  • legyőzöttConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • levertConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • leigázottConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • lesújtottConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • letompítottNot glaring in color; soft in tone
  • félhomályosNot glaring in color; soft in tone
  • tompaNot glaring in color; soft in tone
  • halkNot glaring in color; soft in tone
  • szelídNot glaring in color; soft in tone
Japanese 地味
  • 地味 (jimi)Not glaring in color; soft in tone
Persian تصرف شده, خفیف
  • تصرف شدهConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • خفیف (xafif)Not glaring in color; soft in tone
Russian приглушённый
  • приглушённый (priglušónnyj)Not glaring in color; soft in tone
Spanish apagado, sometido
  • apagadoConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • sometidoConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • doblegadoConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • domeñadoConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • debeladoConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • sojuzgadoConquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive; mild
  • apagadoNot glaring in color; soft in tone
Swedish dämpad
  • dämpadNot glaring in color; soft in tone

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with subdued

includenudeviewedmoodexcludeconcludecruderudeJudeaccruedprecludebroodgluedqueuedskewedfodfeudchewedshrewdlewdBuderoodintrudeoud
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

subdued. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subdued

MLA

“subdued.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subdued. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “subdued,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/subdued.

Source: subdued on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.