subdued

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Quiet and controlled, with less energy, noise, or emotion than usual.

   Grammar: Often after be/remain/seem or before lighting, mood, applause, or voice; very is more natural than more subdued here.

   Patterns

   • subdued mood
   • subdued applause
   • remain subdued
   • a subdued voice

   The office was subdued after the bad news.

   The audience gave subdued applause.

   She answered in a subdued voice.

2. 2adjectivenot comparable

   Soft and not bright; lacking strong contrast.

   Grammar: Common before colors, light, tones, and decor; usually modified by soft or rather, not compared.

   Patterns

   • subdued lighting
   • subdued colors
   • subdued tones

   The restaurant used subdued lighting and simple furniture.

   She chose subdued colors for the bedroom.

   The painting has a subdued palette of grays and blues.

3. 3adjectivecomparablebusiness

   Lower or slower in activity, price, or demand than expected.

   Grammar: Common in business news with more subdued; follows be or describes markets, sales, demand, or growth.

   Patterns

   • subdued demand
   • subdued growth
   • more subdued sales
   • a subdued market

   Demand remained subdued after the holidays.

   The report predicted more subdued growth next year.

   Trading was subdued during the storm.

Common combinations

subdued lighting

Subdued lighting made the small room feel calm.

remain subdued

Investors remained subdued while waiting for the decision.

subdued colors

He wore a suit in subdued colors.

subdued applause

After the error, the applause was subdued.

Synonyms and how they differ

quiet

Quiet is the general opposite of loud; subdued suggests deliberate restraint or lowered intensity.

restrained

Restrained stresses holding back emotion or decoration; subdued often describes the resulting low intensity.

muted

Muted fits color, sound, and reaction; subdued is broader and can describe moods and markets too.

low-key

Low-key is informal and means not showy or intense; subdued can sound more serious or somber.

Opposites

Word family

subdue verb

To bring under control or make quieter or less intense.

subduedness noun

The quality of being subdued, though quietness is more common.

Commonly confused: subdued or submitted? subdued or subversive?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “subdued”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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