Entry Word: mute

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 unable to speak <the child is both deaf and mute because her hearing was lost at birth>

Synonyms inarticulate, speechless, voiceless

Related Words tongue-tied; incoherent, incomprehensible; closemouthed, laconic, taciturn, tight-lipped, uncommunicative; mum, nonspeaking, quiet, silent, wordless

Near Antonyms communicative, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talky, vocal; expatiating, speaking out, speaking up; articulating, speaking, talking; articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble

2 deliberately refraining from speech <remained mute no matter how much we pleaded for an answer> — see silent 1