tamed
/teɪm/ (bre, ipa) · [tˈemd] /teɪm/ (ame, ipa) · [tˈemd] /ˈtām How to pronounce tame (audio)/ (ame, mw)
tamed — verb
- tamedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- tameds3rd person singular
- tameding-ing form
- tamededpast simple
1. to train or handle a wild or frightened animal so that it becomes calm, gentle,
to train or handle a wild or frightened animal so that it becomes calm, gentle, and willing to live with or be handled by people, instead of trying to attack or run away.
Antonia spent two years taming the injured fox she found near her farm.
tame + direct object (wild animal)
The sanctuary staff tamed the rescued wolves gradually, letting them get used to human voices first.
passive: were tamed by gradual exposure
It took Mert months to tame his parrot, but now the bird sits calmly on his shoulder.
Some wild horses can never be fully tamed no matter how much time handlers spend with them.
Ilan tamed the stray kitten by offering her small pieces of fish every evening at the same time.
- domesticate
more formal and broader — includes breeding animals over generations, not just one individual
- gentle
less common as a verb; focuses on making an animal calm rather than fully trained
- train
more general — can apply to any behaviour learning, not just overcoming wildness
文法句型
tame + object (wild animal)
用法筆記
Often used with animals that are genuinely wild rather than domesticated farm animals. To 'tame' implies actively changing the animal's behaviour through repeated contact, not simply raising a domesticated pet from birth.
常見錯誤
2. to gain control over a dangerous, powerful, or difficult force — such as a natur
to gain control over a dangerous, powerful, or difficult force — such as a natural element, an emotion, or a challenging situation — so that it no longer causes harm or trouble.
Engineers are working on new ways to tame the river's floodwaters before the rainy season arrives.
tame + natural force (floodwaters)
Jessica learned to tame her anger by practising deep breathing whenever she felt frustrated at work.
tame + emotion (anger)
The government introduced strict rules to tame the rising cost of housing in big cities.
Adisa believes that technology can tame most of the problems caused by climate change.
文法句型
tame + abstract object (force, emotion, problem)
用法筆記
Used metaphorically — the object is NOT an animal but something abstract or large-scale (emotions, prices, inflation, natural forces). Distinguish from sense 1, where the object is literally an animal.
常見錯誤
tamed — adjective
- tamedpositive
- tamedercomparative
- tamedestsuperlative
1. used to describe an animal that is calm, gentle, and safe to be around because i
used to describe an animal that is calm, gentle, and safe to be around because it has been trained or has lived with humans for a long time — it does not try to attack or run away.
The zoo's tamed eagle sat on the trainer's arm while visitors took photos from a short distance.
tamed + noun (eagle) — animal in controlled setting
Lucía keeps a tamed squirrel in her backyard that comes to eat nuts right from her hand.
The once-aggressive stray dogs are now tamed and share their kennel peacefully with new arrivals.
Evelyn adopted two tamed rabbits from the rescue centre that had been cared for by volunteers since birth.
- domesticated
broader — refers to a species, not just an individual; more formal
- gentle
focuses on temperament rather than the process of taming
- trained
implies learned behaviours, not necessarily that the animal was once wild
文法句型
be + tamed
tamed + noun (animal)
用法筆記
Often used to contrast with 'wild' — a tamed animal was either captured from the wild or born in captivity but raised with humans. Not the same as 'domesticated,' which refers to species changed over generations through breeding.
常見錯誤
2. not exciting, interesting, or lively — used about a situation, event, piece of w
not exciting, interesting, or lively — used about a situation, event, piece of writing, or description that feels flat, safe, or toned down compared with what was expected.
Hari's travel blog felt tame compared to the adventure stories his friends told around the campfire.
tamed + noun (blog, description) — figurative
The movie studio released a tamed version of the film to meet the rating requirements for younger audiences.
Jessica found the party rather tame and left early because nobody was dancing or playing music.
Niran's original design was bold and colourful, but the final product looked too tamed for his taste.
文法句型
be + tamed
tamed + noun (event, description, story)
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used informally and carries mild disappointment — the speaker expected something more exciting or daring. It is most common in reviews, comments about events, or feedback on creative work.