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 And most importantly, the board will have no say over how the algorithms work and thus what gets amplified or muffled by the real power of Facebook. — Siva Vaidhyanathan, Wired, "Facebook and the Folly of Self-Regulation," 9 May 2020 Stillness has muffled the streets in Sacramento as people hibernate in their homes and wait for the threat of COVID-19 to subside. — Martin Kuz, The Christian Science Monitor, "Living in a war zone: What it teaches about surviving a pandemic," 29 Apr. 2020 Aoyama said, his voice muffled by a white surgical mask. — BostonGlobe.com, "Deaths rise to 132 in China outbreak as foreigners evacuate," 29 Jan. 2020 Beijing muffled early warnings, such that the Chinese were assured the risk of sustained human-to-human transmission was low even as infected people entered hospitals across the country and the first case outside China was found, in Thailand. — Calvin Woodward, ajc, "Beijing pushes back on U.S. theory that virus originated in Chinese lab," 18 Apr. 2020 That’s led to challenges muffling neighborhood noises, getting equipment set up properly and managing the expectations of families and children. — Natalie Jarvey, The Hollywood Reporter, "Podcasters Adapt to Makeshift Studios, Shifting Listening Behavior Amid Coronavirus," 2 Apr. 2020 Most of the seating areas have low tables and chairs for casual catch-ups, while one has a long, rough-hewn wooden table for co-working along with semi-private workstations with noise-muffling walls. — Eric Rosen, Condé Nast Traveler, "AmEx's New LAX Centurion Lounge Is Its Biggest Yet," 6 Mar. 2020 Road and wind noise are mild, and the suspension muffles bumps well. — Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, "VW Atlas Cross Sport has what it takes to run with the best 5-seat midsize SUVs," 7 Apr. 2020 These materials muffled the ultrasonic signal more effectively than common rubber phone cases, which failed to prevent successful hacks. — Sophie Bushwick, Scientific American, "Ultrasonic Attack Device Hacks Phones through Solid Objects," 18 Mar. 2020

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

15 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Muffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muffle. Accessed 25 May. 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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English Language Learners Definition of muffle