as in muted
not excessively showy
a restrained but elegant black purse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of restrained
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Jospin never embraced his role as a public figure, hampered by a restrained personality that grew even stiffer in front of cameras.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Kori Schake, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2026
Other big stories ➤ Rafael Montoya was restrained by security guards outside Phoenix's Club Dwntwn when another guard sucker punched him.
—Wendy Killeen, AZCentral.com, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Adjective
But Saleh has carved out a unique place for himself as an avatar for restrained, tortured, and resilient Arab male dignity.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Jospin never embraced his role as a public figure, hampered by a restrained personality that grew even stiffer in front of cameras.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
Beginning with the 1795 Calling Forth Act and in subsequent legislation, Congress restrained the chief executive’s ability to mobilize militia.
—Kori Schake, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2026
Other big stories ➤ Rafael Montoya was restrained by security guards outside Phoenix's Club Dwntwn when another guard sucker punched him.
—Wendy Killeen, AZCentral.com, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for restrained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for restrained
Adjective
-
The cautious move in oil prices and relatively muted decline in Treasury yields suggest investors remain somewhat skeptical about an immediate end to the war.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Calm interiors in muted shades of sand and tan do not overpower the landscape, which is the star of the show.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Israel, meanwhile, saw Nasser’s rising influence across the Arab world as a danger, and wanted an excuse to cut him down, and to target Palestinian fedayeen militants who were operating in Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula, which were both controlled by Egypt at the time.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Instead of pushing from a single point, assistance is distributed through the stride, making movement feel more stable and controlled.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Aaron Alex, 26, of Dallas; Bronya Freeman, 24, of Dallas; and Jay Jones, 28, of Lancaster, were arrested March 22 after a five-month investigation, police said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Over the course of two weeks, two Laurel Highlands teachers were arrested after being accused of having inappropriate relationships with students.—
Ricky Sayer,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Loose ends and compelling payoffs await after a subdued and slow-ish first frame that struggles with a balance between dark brooding and uneven lull.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Institutional investors spent much of the first quarter selling upside bets—effectively wagering that prices wouldn’t rise sharply—to generate income in a subdued market, said James Harris, chief executive officer at asset manager Tesseract.—
Sidhartha Shukla,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This indicates that the state is homeostatically regulated — meaning their bodies need it.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Discharges by wastewater treatment plans are regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which sets temperature and water quality standards.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The department shared photos of what their officers seized, which included a gun and a baby bottle authorities say was filled with the drug mixture known as lean.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In March, Hungarian counterterrorism authorities seized two trucks, owned by a Ukrainian bank, that were passing through the country on a routine cash-transport run from Vienna.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Aside from some quiet complaints about the NCAA’s COVID-19 protocols for people sitting around the court, no one offered anything other than positive reviews.—
Mac Engel
March 31,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Despite her difficult start, Kaiko has since been recovering in her new home, with the viral video capturing a quiet but significant milestone—her first night sleeping indoors.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Forensic drug reports showed that about 98% of medetomidine-positive samples also contained fentanyl.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The vessel was missing but was later contained.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Restrained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/restrained. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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