Standard Lemma guide

subdue

verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /səbˈdu/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /səbˈdjuː/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /səbˈdʒuː/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /sʌb-/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S AH0 B D UW1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To overcome, quieten, or bring under control.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: restrain, stifle, underbring, behedge, guard, govern, smother, bind, chasten, check, inhibit, contain, vanquish, cork, curb, quench, quell, bury, curtail, dampen, hamshackle, hold back, hold down, limit, repress, restrict, shackle, stay, stop, straiten, subdue, suppress, throttle, withhold, withstrain

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To bring (a country) under control by force.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: conquer, underbring

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

correct by punishment or discipline

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tame, chasten

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

4

verb

Meaning 4

to put down by force or authority

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • suppress a nascent uprising
  • stamp down on littering
  • conquer one's desires

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: suppress, stamp down, inhibit, conquer, curb

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb, moderate

Narrower terms: wink, blink, blink away, stifle, dampen, choke off, choke down, choke back, hush, quieten, silence, still, shut up, hush up, burke, squelch, quell, quench, smother, strangle, muffle, repress

5

verb

Meaning 5

make subordinate, dependent, or subservient

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Our wishes have to be subordinated to that of our ruler

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: subordinate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lower, lour

6

verb

Meaning 6

get on top of; deal with successfully

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He overcame his shyness

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: overcome, get over, surmount, master

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: beat, beat out, crush, shell, trounce, vanquish

Narrower terms: bulldog

7

verb

Meaning 7

hold within limits and control

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • subdue one's appetites
  • mortify the flesh

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mortify, crucify

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb, moderate

Narrower terms: mortify

8

verb

Meaning 8

put down by force or intimidation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The government quashes any attempt of an uprising
  • China keeps down her dissidents very efficiently
  • The rich landowners subjugated the peasants working the land

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: repress, quash, keep down, subjugate, reduce

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: oppress, suppress, crush

History

Etymology

From Middle English subdewen, subduen, sodewen, from Old French souduire, from Latin subdūcō (“to draw away”), perhaps influenced by subdō (“to subdue, subject”).

Across languages

Translations

82 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: طَوَّعَ (ṭawwaʕa) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Arabic: تَغَلَّبَ عَلَى (taḡallaba ʕalā) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Aromanian: ncljin — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Azerbaijani: tabe etmək — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Bulgarian: подчинявам (podčinjavam) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Bulgarian: подчиня (podčinja) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Catalan: asservir — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Chinese Mandarin: 征服 (zhēngfú) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Chinese Mandarin: 制伏 (zhìfú) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Czech: podmanit si — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Czech: podrobit si — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Czech: přemoci — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Danish: kue — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Danish: underkue — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Danish: undertrykke — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Dutch: onder controle brengen — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Esperanto: obeigi — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Esperanto: kvietigi — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Finnish: nujertaa — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Finnish: kukistaa — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • French: soumettre — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • French: subjuguer — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • German: unter Kontrolle bringen — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • German: unterwerfen — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Ancient Greek: καταπονέω (kataponéō) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Ancient Greek: χειρόομαι (kheiróomai) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Ido: submisar — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Ido: domtar — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Irish: ceansaigh — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Irish: traoch — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Italian: sottomettere — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Italian: soggiogare — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Japanese: 平げる (tairageru) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Japanese: 征服する (seifuku suru) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Latin: subdō — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Latin: pācō — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Māori: whakangohengohe — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Occitan: subjugar — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Occitan: sometre — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Portuguese: subjugar — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Romanian: supune — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Romanian: cuceri — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Romanian: subjuga — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Romanian: închina — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Russian: подчиня́ть (podčinjátʹ) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Russian: подчини́ть (podčinítʹ) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Sanskrit: उब्जति (ubjati) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Sicilian: divìnciri — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Sicilian: suttamèttiri — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Spanish: someter — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Spanish: doblegar — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Spanish: domeñar — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Spanish: debelar — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Swedish: kuva — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Thai: ปราบ (bpràap) — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Turkish: hizaya getirmek — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Vietnamese: kềm nén — to overcome, quieten, bring under control
  • Bulgarian: покорявам (pokorjavam) — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Chinese Mandarin: 征服 (zhēngfú) — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Czech: podmanit si — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Czech: podrobit si — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Czech: přemoci — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Danish: kue — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Danish: underkue — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Dutch: onderwerpen — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Esperanto: obeigi — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Finnish: vallata — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • French: assujettir — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • German: unterwerfen — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Hungarian: leigáz — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Ido: submisar — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Italian: sottomettere — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Japanese: 平げる (tairageru) — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Japanese: 征服する (seifuku suru) — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Māori: pēhipēhi — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Occitan: sometre — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Occitan: subjugar — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Portuguese: submeter — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Russian: завоёвывать (zavojóvyvatʹ) — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Russian: завоева́ть (zavojevátʹ) — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Spanish: someter — to bring (a country) under control by force
  • Spanish: sojuzgar — to bring (a country) under control by force