subdued

Subject

• force: The nation which has declared itself your enemy must be subdued by force of arms and forced to submit to your way of thinking.

Object

• Saxon: He subdued the Saxons after about 30 years of war and forced them to accept Christianity.
• lighting: Set in the dark Assembly Rooms, with subdued lighting, the Grandmothers met together for the first time.

Preposition: at

• time: I've been involved in football for a few years and games on the 1st January can be a little subdued at times.

Adjective complement

• due: However, domestic consumption and investment remained subdued due to near record unemployment and uncertainty about the future.

Modifying Another Word

• strangely: There was a strangely subdued atmosphere around the Show Court.
• unusually: In the 54th minute Adie Orr came on to replace Dave Swarbrick who had been unusually subdued.
• somewhat: The second of these tunes even managed to get the somewhat subdued crowd screaming along with the chorus.
• temporarily: No-one could have put it better and the Bristol fans were temporarily subdued as they watched the UWE fans chant at their victorious rowers.
• surprisingly: However, despite an encouraging performance from his players, Magpies manager Carl Taylor seemed surprisingly subdued.
• relatively: Despite some reports of improving retail sales volumes, consumer credit remains relatively subdued.

Used with why or when

• when: Although an attractive flower its coloring Is somewhat subdued when compared with the brilliant cultivated tulips in our gardens.

Preposition: in

• tone: The walls above the dado were subdued in tone, relieved by family portraits.

Preposition: with

• hint: The nose was very subdued with some vague hints of a grassy or floral scent.

Preposition: for

• time: The long and laborious study demanded by the sculptor's profession subdued for a long time Sarrasine's impetuous temperament and unruly genius.

Preposition: by

• force: The nation which has declared itself your enemy must be subdued by force of arms and forced to submit to your way of thinking.