adj Uncommon

restrained

rih-STRAYND

Restrained (adj) means Kept under control; not showing strong emotion or excess. Example: “His restrained reaction surprised everyone given the bad news.”

adj

Kept under control; not showing strong emotion or excess.

"His restrained reaction surprised everyone given the bad news."

"The room had a restrained, elegant decor."

How to use restrained

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHeld back or controlled, often describing calm behavior or understated style.

Common pairings

restrained tone restrained elegance remain restrained

Word forms

more restrained comparative, most restrained superlative

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His _____ reaction surprised everyone given the bad news.

Synonyms

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low-key understated

Related words

slightly plain subtle low-key understated histrionic saccharine eye catching

Rhymes for restrained

lined mined gained joined ruined pained refined stained defined trained drained chained

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Frequently asked questions

What does “restrained” mean?

The word “restrained” means kept under control; not showing strong emotion or excess. In plain terms, held back or controlled, often describing calm behavior or understated style.

How do you pronounce “restrained”?

“Restrained” is pronounced rih-STRAYND (/ɹɪˈstɹeɪnd/ in IPA).

How do you use “restrained” in a sentence?

Here is “restrained” used in a sentence: “His restrained reaction surprised everyone given the bad news.”

What is another word for “restrained”?

Words with a similar meaning to “restrained” include low-key and understated.

What part of speech is “restrained”?

“Restrained” is an adjective.

Is “restrained” a common word?

“Restrained” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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