1
as in to mute
to deaden the sound of
the walls muffled their conversation so that only a low murmur was heard
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wrap
to surround or cover closely
the airport had been muffled in fog all morning long
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muffle
The towel, Rifkin said, was used to muffle Fariñas’ cries, evidenced by the electrical tape found in her hair.
—
Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Nov. 2025
Shaq started to answer and then crinkled a piece of paper over the microphone to muffle his response.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
The boy buried his face in his hands, and the thick nest of hair shook as if in a wind, and the sobs, though muffled, grew louder.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Ignore that muffled screaming in the distance, that’s just the TV overlords punching air.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muffle
Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Nov. 2025
Shaq started to answer and then crinkled a piece of paper over the microphone to muffle his response.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
The boy buried his face in his hands, and the thick nest of hair shook as if in a wind, and the sobs, though muffled, grew louder.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Ignore that muffled screaming in the distance, that’s just the TV overlords punching air.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muffle
Verb
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If the Federal Reserve either decreases the amount of money that’s in circulation or reins in the pace at which the money supply expands, those actions tend to mute consumer demand for goods and services.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
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The white Carrara marble building will contrast with Mayner’s sculpturally rounded silhouettes done in a rich, but muted, palette of browns, navy blues, grays and occasional pops of zingy colors, including purple, Klein blue, flashy green and mirror silver.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On TikTok, there’s even tutorials on how to wrap it into a halterneck tank top—the stretchy material allows for it.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
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It’s wrapped in coral velvet — a soft and highly absorbent fabric that dries fast, according to shoppers.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But for as stifled as Portola’s shooting was in the fourth, Woodbridge also struggled – connecting on only three field goals.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
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The Texans stifled the Steelers rushing attack and harassed Aaron Rodgers so extensively — sacking him four times, hitting him 12 times — that the future Hall of Fame quarterback scarcely had time to wait for plays to develop and repeatedly dumped the ball off for short gains.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The wild color story takes a breath in the living room, where neutral grass cloth envelops the walls and ceiling.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
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Kayali marked the end of 2025 with the release of Freedom Musk Matcha 45, a frothy and enveloping blend of matcha, oat milk, and sweet musk.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Red brick walls enclose a tropical jungle retreat of sorts, where garden chairs are scattered around imparting a feel of lounging in someone’s backyard, and there is even a tiny pond on the premises.—
Arundhati Hazra,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
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The bones and cartilage are enclosed in a membrane that’s filled with an oily liquid called synovial fluid.—
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall,
Popular Science,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The arrest marks a major development in a case which has been shrouded in mystery as police have been reluctant to provide any details about the investigation.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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But a new study has cast doubt on the idea that the intriguing world shrouded in ice could indeed harbor extraterrestrial life deep in its vast ocean of liquid saltwater.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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American bases built inside the ice sheet, such as Camp Century, were quickly crushed as the encasing snow deformed.—
Paul Bierman,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
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Unfortunately, the dark, warm, moist environment encasing our feet is the perfect environment for bacteria and fungus spores to thrive and grow.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The concepts making their debut range from Kwame Onwuachi’s take on Caribbean cuisine in Las Vegas to Francesco Martucci bringing his pizza prowess to fine dining in Miami—and everything in between, encompassing a wide variety of flavors, heritages, and more.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
11 Jan. 2026
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During the early days of 2026, users on X popularized a word that encompasses why social media can feel just so annoying these days.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muffle. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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