muted
adj. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈmjutɪd// UK //mjˈuːtɪd// mut·ed
adj. quiet, soft, or not very bright. You use this to describe sounds that are hard to hear or colors that are not strong.
adj. characterised by a softened, subdued, or quiet quality. Often describes acoustic properties where volume is dampened or visual properties where saturation is low.
The room was painted in muted tones of blue and grey.
The audience spoke in muted whispers as they waited for the performance to begin.
Despite the vibrant energy of the festival outside, the atmosphere inside the gallery remained muted, defined by soft lighting and the distant hum of the ventilation system.
Usage
Often follows a linking verb like 'remain' or 'sound', or precedes a noun describing color or sound.