muffle

verb

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muf·fle | \ ˈmə-fəl

muffled; muffling\ ˈmə-f(ə-)liŋ

Definition of muffle

transitive verb

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

2 obsolete : blindfold

3a : 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

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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 Thirtyish, up to her waist in water, her breasts exposed, trying to muffle the child’s cries. — Christian Wiman, Harper's magazine, "The Cancer Chair," 20 Jan. 2020 The researchers have been testing different materials and designs while trying to find how to muffle high-decibel noise from explosions and gunfire. — USA TODAY, "White Sands dust-up, distracted-driving cams, hog rules: News from around our 50 states," 10 Dec. 2019 The audio was slightly muffled, but Beetz’s spirit shines through crystal clear. — Jennifer Hussein, Allure, "Why Zazie Beetz Prefers When Her Hair Looks "Undone"," 15 Jan. 2020 Another way is to buy a silencer (legal in 39 states), which will greatly muffle those escaping gases. — Jeff Johnston, Field & Stream, "The Pros and Cons of Subsonic Cartridges," 8 Oct. 2019 Councilman Earl Williams later asked if the sound could be muffled or eliminated. — Thomas Jewell, cleveland, "Shaker Heights City Council OKs 2019-20 deer culling that includes private property pilot," 29 Oct. 2019 Studio Paramount Pictures dropped a teaser of the film on Dec. 18, which showed the Abbott family walking in a forest along a sand path, which the family created around their home in the first film to muffle the sound of their walking. — Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, "'A Quiet Place: Part II' Trailer Reveals New Terrors in Noiseless World," 1 Jan. 2020 Commotion muffled the sound, yet the wail managed to break through the noise. — Samantha Leach, Glamour, "At a Romance Cover Shoot, There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Wind Machine," 3 Dec. 2019 Largely acoustic-based, the album was a brick wrapped in a pillow, a set of clever and emotionally devastating songs whose impact was muffled by the attempt to lean mainstream and capture the epic dreaminess of late ’80s pop. — Jason Heller, The Atlantic, "The Flawed Glory of the Replacements’ Don’t Tell a Soul," 8 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'muffle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

21 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Muffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muffle. Accessed 23 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for muffle

muffle

verb

English Language Learners Definition of muffle

: to make (a sound) quieter : to decrease the noise made by (something)

chiefly British : to wrap or cover (someone or something) in clothing or cloth for warmth or protection

See the full definition for muffle in the English Language Learners Dictionary

muffle

verb

muf·fle | \ ˈmə-fəl

muffled; muffling

Kids Definition of muffle

1 : to deaden the sound of muffle a cry

2 : to wrap up so as to hide or protect muffled in a coat

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muffle

Definition of muffle

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