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

Plus, darker tones help muffle visual clutter, creating a calming mood that feels loads richer than your budget might suggest. — Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 8 July 2026

But the lack of competitive consequences for floundering clubs does very little to muffle those pushing for pro/rel. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

As a further precaution, consider adding background noise, like the TV or a white noise machine, to help muffle the sounds. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Missing crucial orders because a voice is muffled, or struggling to pull out an emergency fire shelter because a mask is in the way, could be the difference between life and death. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 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