muffle

verb

muf·​fle ˈmə-fəl 

muffled; muffling ˈmə-f(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to wrap up so as to conceal or protect : envelop

2

obsolete : blindfold

3

a

: to wrap or pad with something to dull the sound

muffle the oarlocks

b

: to deaden the sound of

4

: keep down, suppress

muffled her anger

Synonyms of muffle

• mute
• stifle

Examples of muffle in a Sentence

They tried to muffle the noise.

I could hear their muffled voices from the next room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Patmos would divide the open warehouse space into smaller rooms, add pipes and support infrastructure and install sound-muffling materials. — Ilana Arougheti june 26, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026

Plus, stone helps muffle any surrounding city sounds, creating a truly serene escape. — Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 21 June 2026

But these suites are also closest to the elevators, and the historic walls don’t adequately muffle the sounds of other guests. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026

Nolan's team and IMAX worked together to create a special housing for the camera to muffle the sound of its operation. — Will Croxton, CBS News, 17 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English muflen

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for muffle

• duffel
• duffle
• ruffle
• scuffle
• shuffle
• truffle
• reshuffle

Kids Definition

muffle

verb

muf·​fle ˈməf-əl 

muffled; muffling ˈməf-(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to wrap up so as to conceal or protect

2

: to deaden the sound of

muffle a cry