subdue

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They are just data brokers doing business, they say, and it’s not their fault if what they gather and sell is used to subdue and surveil people.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

Fern, whose pen name wouldn’t be widely familiar until 1851, was a bright and spirited girl whose time at a religious school failed to subdue her.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

The Norman invasion of 1066 saw King Edward I of England subdue Wales, leading to the establishment of the title of Prince of Wales in 1284.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2025

The use of police weapons designed to subdue rather than kill has also been challenged in court.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2025

As soon as we were done, Mouse crept out of the grasses and attacked a small hole in the soil, dragging out a strand of sea lettuce so she could properly subdue it.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk