tame

Used to living with people and unlikely to hurt them.

• The rabbit is tame.
• Children can feed these tame animals.
• Is that horse tame enough to ride?

Similar words: domesticated, gentle

Opposites: wild

Common phrases: tame animal, tame rabbit, tame horse, tame lion

Too quiet, ordinary, or gentle to be exciting.

• The party was rather tame.
• The film seemed tame after the exciting book.
• Their jokes are pretty tame compared with his.

Similar words: dull, boring, mild

Opposites: exciting

Common phrases: tame party, tame entertainment, rather tame

To teach a wild animal to live calmly with people.

• She tamed the horse.
• It takes patience to tame a wild bird.
• Can this animal be tamed?

Similar words: domesticate

Common phrases: tame a horse, tame wild animals, tame a lion

To make something difficult or powerful easier to control.

• This cream helps tame my hair.
• The new system tamed the traffic chaos.
• Can the government tame inflation?

Similar words: control, restrain, subdue

Common phrases: tame inflation, tame unruly hair, tame something

To make someone accept control and stop resisting.

• They tried to tame his rebellious spirit.
• Years of strict discipline had tamed her.
• No ruler could tame those proud people.

Similar words: subdue, subjugate

Common phrases: tame someone, tame someone’s spirit