Subdued meaning
Subdued is the adjective form of the verb subdue. It means that something or someone is soft and restrained. Anything subdued is not as vibrant, strong, or remarkable.
Colors can be subdued, which means they are not lively. People can be subdued in nature, which means they are somber, reflective, or silent. In other cases when someone is subdued it means that they were restrained, put in cuffs, or otherwise incapacitated.
Examples
- I want this room to be painted in some more subdued colors, like eggshell or a soft brown.
- The suspect was subdued by the police after the shooting.
- He never speaks loudly, he has such a subdued nature and is surprisingly well-mannered.
- After his dog died his demeanor changed drastically, and he’s far more subdued now.
- Please remove some of the light fixtures, since I want this room a bit more subdued.
Subdued Synonyms
- soft and restrained
