tamer; tamest
1
: reduced from a state of native wildness especially so as to be tractable and useful to humans : domesticated
tame animals
2
: made docile and submissive : subdued
3
: lacking spirit, zest, interest, or the capacity to excite : insipid
a tame campaign
tamely
adverb
tameness
noun
tamed; taming
1
a
: to reduce from a wild to a domestic state
b
: to subject to cultivation
c
: to bring under control : harness
2
3
: to tone down : soften
tamed the language in the play
: to become tame
tamer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of tame in a Sentence
Adjective
The island's birds are quite tame.
They ran a pretty tame campaign.
Some people were shocked by the movie, but I found the story pretty tame.
Members of the audience were too tame to interrupt the speaker.
Verb
It took a while to tame the horse.
the people who tamed the Wild West
He struggled to tame his temper.
The government needs to do something to tame inflation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025
Trump is placing a big bet that his executive actions can cut energy prices and tame inflation and that the tariffs will strengthen the economy instead of exposing consumers to higher prices.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
James Barron, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Cal Fire Operations Chief Kristian Litz has been leading the coordinated effort to tame the flames.
—NBC News, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tame 
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Adjective
The scorecard-scrambling result: The normally tame North Course, exposed most to the wind at a higher elevation than the technically tougher South Course, showed teeth of its own.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025
Trump is placing a big bet that his executive actions can cut energy prices and tame inflation and that the tariffs will strengthen the economy instead of exposing consumers to higher prices.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
The policy goes into effect Feb. 1. Can a new boss tame the N.Y.P.D.?
—James Barron, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Cal Fire Operations Chief Kristian Litz has been leading the coordinated effort to tame the flames.
—NBC News, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tame
Dictionary Entries Near tame
Cite this Entry
“Tame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tame. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tame
1 of 2 adjective
tamer; tamest
1
: changed from the wild state so as to become useful and obedient to human beings : domesticated
a tame elephant
2
: made gentle and obedient
3
: lacking spirit or interest : dull
tamely
adverb
tameness
noun
tame
2 of 2 verb
tamed; taming
1
a
: to make or become tame
tame a lion
b
: to subject to cultivation
wilderness tamed by farmers
2
: to bring under control : subdue
tame your temper
tamer
noun
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