HowPronounceIt
  1. Home
  2. How to pronounce
  3. subdued

How to pronounce subdued

Say it like sub-DOOD. Subdued has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DOOD).

VoiceSpeed

Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce subdued. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.

US American/səbˈdud/sub-DOOD
UK British/səbˈdjuːd/sub-DYOOD
  • sub
  • DOOD
  • Main stress
  • Lighter stress
  • Unstressed

Subdued pronunciation, sound by sound

Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.

  1. subKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
  2. DOODSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.

American vs British pronunciation of subdued

  • British speakers add a light "y" sound before the "oo" (as in "tyoon" for tune).

British respelling: sub-DYOOD.

What does subdued mean?

adjective
  1. Conquered; overpowered; crushed; submissive.“He is subdued after the disagreement last night.”
  2. Not glaring in color; soft and light in tone.“The color scheme used for this room is subdued.”
  3. Reduced in intensity or strength; toned down.
verb
  1. simple past and past participle of subdue How to pronounce subdue“He subdued the dog yesterday.”

Similar and opposite words

Similar meaning

Words that rhyme with subdued

Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of subdued.

Questions about saying subdued

How do you pronounce subdued?

Say sub-DOOD. The American pronunciation is /səbˈdud/. In British English it is /səbˈdjuːd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.

How many syllables are in subdued?

Subdued has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DOOD). Broken into parts: sub · DOOD.

Is subdued pronounced differently in British English?

Yes. British speakers add a light "y" sound before the "oo" (as in "tyoon" for tune). The British form is /səbˈdjuːd/ (sub-DYOOD).

Pronunciation from CMUdict and Wiktionary; meaning and origin adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).