Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb subdue

6 senses of subdue

Sense 1
repress, quash, keep down, subdue, subjugate, reduce -- (put down by force or intimidation; "The government quashes any attempt of an uprising"; "China keeps down her dissidents very efficiently"; "The rich landowners subjugated the peasants working the land")
       => oppress, suppress, crush -- (come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority; "The government oppresses political activists")

Sense 2
suppress, stamp down, inhibit, subdue, conquer, curb -- (to put down by force or authority; "suppress a nascent uprising"; "stamp down on littering"; "conquer one's desires")
       => control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb, moderate -- (lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger")

Sense 3
mortify, subdue, crucify -- (hold within limits and control; "subdue one's appetites"; "mortify the flesh")
       => control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb, moderate -- (lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake"; "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger")

Sense 4
overcome, get over, subdue, surmount, master -- (get on top of; deal with successfully; "He overcame his shyness")
       => beat, beat out, crush, shell, trounce, vanquish -- (come out better in a competition, race, or conflict; "Agassi beat Becker in the tennis championship"; "We beat the competition"; "Harvard defeated Yale in the last football game")

Sense 5
subordinate, subdue -- (make subordinate, dependent, or subservient; "Our wishes have to be subordinated to that of our ruler")
       => lower, lour -- (set lower; "lower a rating"; "lower expectations")

Sense 6
tame, chasten, subdue -- (correct by punishment or discipline)
       => change, alter, modify -- (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue")