How to Use subdue in a Sentence

subdue

verb
  • The troops were finally able to subdue the rebel forces after many days of fighting.
  • She struggled to subdue her fears.
  • He was injured while trying to subdue a violent drunk.
  • Others in the church subdued the suspect and took the gun from him.
    Carol Robinson, AL.com, 23 Oct. 2017
  • The palette ranged from neon greens and subdued grays to somber black tones.
    Alex Kessler, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2023
  • No, this circus is subdued, thanks to the taupe striped tent.
    Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, 25 May 2023
  • The girls screamed and cried but were subdued by two men, one of them wielding a stick.
    The Economist, 4 Nov. 2017
  • This is a car that makes a Koenigsegg One:1 seem refined and subdued.
    Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 6 Mar. 2023
  • This one is more subdued, but there are a couple of bangers.
    Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2024
  • Chavez was shot after a Taser and bean bag rounds failed to subdue him.
    Fox News, 12 Sep. 2020
  • The beekeeper used foam to subdue the bees and the hive was removed.
    Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 29 Apr. 2021
  • Gray clouds frequently filled the skies, and at many hours, the sun seemed subdued by them.
    Martin Weil, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2023
  • The footage shifts back to the male suspect, who at this point has been subdued by the officer.
    Amy B Wang, ajc, 1 July 2018
  • The conflict has resurfaced and subdued many times since.
    Elias Ferrer Breda, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
  • The lighting is subdued, yet the room is brightened by the colorful tiles on the walls.
    Diana Oates, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2018
  • The heavy nylon cords, large hooks, and big swivels used to make each line can subdue even the fattest cats.
    Keith Sutton, Outdoor Life, 24 Nov. 2020
  • Unable to nose any farther forward, the agents piled out of the first and third SUV and tried to subdue the crowd.
    Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 12 Feb. 2024
  • And the use of physical force to subdue the teens increased.
    Holly Ramer, Star Tribune, 6 May 2021
  • The country has had the politicians who subdue the will of the people during votes.
    Orji Sunday, CNN, 15 Sep. 2020
  • Energy from the fan base subdued by the end of each coach's tenure.
    Jordan McPherson, miamiherald, 10 May 2018
  • Up until that point, the vibe in the theater had been fairly subdued.
    Amy Phillips, Pitchfork, 16 Oct. 2023
  • Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.
    Longreads, 22 Mar. 2018
  • Tasers were used to subdue him, the warrant alleges, and he was handcuffed.
    Chris Harris, PEOPLE.com, 8 Feb. 2018
  • The color choices are bright but subdued enough to keep a lot of decor options open.
    Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2023
  • Owners are less likely to list their homes for sale and is subdued.
    Andrew Khouristaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2020
  • Predictably, he was subdued in the postgame locker room.
    Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2024
  • One of the officers then used pepper spray to subdue him.
    Nick Givas, Fox News, 3 July 2020
  • Trump’s threat to deploy the military to subdue the protests.
    Michael Smolens Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2020
  • There is a lot of macaroni on the pizza, but the cheesy flavor is subdued.
    Steffi Victorioso, Los Angeles Magazine, 23 Aug. 2017
  • What used to be the loudest red carpet of the year was noticeably more subdued this year.
    Leanne Italie, Twin Cities, 4 Feb. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subdue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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