as in muted
not excessively showy
a restrained but elegant black purse
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in controlled
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
the victim's family members were unable to restrain their emotions upon hearing the verdict
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrested
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
the suspect was restrained and taken to an undisclosed location
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of restrained
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Oct. 2024
Madison plays Ani with her heart incrementally open and then slammed shut, her emotions playing out all over her face; Borisov is more laconic and more restrained.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024
The coroner found evidence galore that John had been forcibly restrained.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for restrained 
Adjective
The media is well-advised to take a page from the judicial rule book and understand that more restrained reporting may serve the public better.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Oct. 2024
Madison plays Ani with her heart incrementally open and then slammed shut, her emotions playing out all over her face; Borisov is more laconic and more restrained.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Verb
That’s the opposite of what Whitfield was experiencing when he was restrained.
—Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Dec. 2024
The coroner found evidence galore that John had been forcibly restrained.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for restrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrained
Adjective
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And while Nicola Coughlan, Zendaya and Kaia Gerber have all embraced the power of hair-teasing this year, the aim for this new style is less Marge Simpson, more muted.Leah Dolan, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
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The sleek setting includes a muted grey palette, hints of metallic, and an impressive collection of artwork by international artists.Shivani Vora, Architectural Digest, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Mangione was arrested on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police.Caitlyn Frolo, Baltimore Sun, 11 Dec. 2024
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The Ivy League graduate from a well-to-do family was arrested Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a customer at a McDonald's spotted him and alerted the restaurant.Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The race, which did not feature a competitive primary, began as a subdued affair.Daniel Bice, Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024
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Even a traditional white marble fireplace can have an impact in a subdued way when paired with a corresponding wall paint color.Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Musk's companies, such as Tesla and SpaceX, are heavily regulated.Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
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For much of the country’s history, individual states regulated horseracing, with minimal federal oversight related to gambling.Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Agents also seized roughly $420,000 in cash.Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 11 Dec. 2024
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Laboratory analysis also identified heroin among the drugs seized.Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Principled a stand as some might have seen it, Variety would have no doubt been part of a very quiet and small minority.Andrew Wallenstein, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
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Hotel du Palais de l'Isle overlooks a quiet canal—one of the many that earned the city of Annecy its Venice of France monicker.Michael Venutolo-Mantovani, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Several details appear to link the profile to Mangione, and a 2016 post contained a link to a page on Github, a coding website, with Mangione's full name on it.Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 11 Dec. 2024
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The Franklin fire had extended to nearly 4,000 acres and was just 7% contained Wednesday morning, according to Cal Fire.Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Murray grabbed his jacket and walked out again.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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Penny, a passenger on his way from a college class to the gym, grabbed Neely from behind in a chokehold, forced him to the train floor and restrained him there for several minutes.Eric Levenson, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near restrained
Cite this Entry
“Restrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrained. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
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