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

• 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

Another video, recorded moments later, shows the same drone veering left as loud air raid sirens muffle the propeller’s noise. —Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024

The loose and meteorite-battered regolith that forms the Moon’s outer layer tends to muffle seismic waves from underneath. —IEEE Spectrum, 14 Mar. 2024

He was photographed making funny faces, trying to cover his mother’s mouth and screaming while covering his ears to muffle the sounds of overhead military planes. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024

On opening night, Staples muffled some of Nottage’s words so that a bit of the playwright’s poetry was lost. —Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2024

Security moved a shuttle in front of the protest in an effort to muffle the disruption. —Jaden Thompson, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024

His low desk was shoved into the corner furthest from the windows, as if Gussow had wanted to muffle the city’s distractions. —Curbed, 26 Jan. 2024

The cartoon showed a FWS biologist with a necktie muffling his mouth—to prevent him from speaking the truth. —TIME, 8 Feb. 2024

Then Mack held her mother's mouth shut to muffle the screams as Schaefer beat her to death with the metal handle of a fruit bowl. —Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 17 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English muflen

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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